"Isolated and alone"

In 2023 my mother was admitted to a care facility in Enniskillen as an emergency placement as she had wandered in the middle of the night and this presented a new risk.

Up until that point mum lived alone with some support from community carers.  I live and work from home in Donegal and provide what limited amount of support i could as her only engaged daughter.  Mum has no other supportive family intervention.  I was assured at the time that Enniskillen would be a temporary move and mum would be returned to the Derry area or as close to asap.  I have now been informed that the criteria has changed and mum does not qualify for a placement as a priority in Derry.

Mum is 1.5hrs away from us, i am her only visitor, i work full time and cannot see her more than once a week.  If i am unable to visit due to other family commitments or illness mum does not have anyone to see for 2 weeks.  She continues to love seeing her family but is isolated and alone where she is due to the distance.

If mums health deteriorates and she requires hospital care we are unable to be there with her as the distance is too far.  I am self employed and get no financial support for not working and it is financial burden we are unable to shoulder.  

I feel this entire situation is unacceptable and the current provision for dementia care for mum falls short of the required need.  Mum's only connection to Derry is her social housing which has to be returned in a few weeks time and that will further reduce her case for placement in Derry.  To bring her to live with me is to remove her to another "country", again reducing support provision.

I fail to see how this is providing adequate social care. Yes she is safe and supported but she is also isolated and alone and with a dementia diagnosis time is not our friend.