East Lothian Council cuts home help hours to blind woman
A blind Dunbar woman has branded a move to cut her home help's time because she does not let her do her shopping as "unfair."
Jackie Brown (41) of Rigg Park, an energetic fund-raiser for Guide Dogs for the Blind Association and the charity's voluntary co-ordinator for Edinburgh and the Lothians, said she enjoyed doing her own shopping, along with her eight-year-old black labrador guide dog Cassie, because it gave her independence.
She told the News that she heard last week that East Lothian Council planned to reduce her home help service by one hour a week.
Ms Brown was registered blind in 2000 after gradually losing her sight to retinitis pigmentosa — a progressive, degenerative eye condition.
She explained: "I get a home help two-and-a-half hours a week who cleans and irons.
Unfair
"The council wants to take away one hour because I don't let my home help do my shopping.
"I think this is unfair and it is also happening to some elderly people.
"I do my shopping with my guide dog because it gives me independence."
Ms Brown, who raised more than 700 at her annual Dunbar Doggie Day on Sunday August 31 despite the rain, said she intended to contact the council directly.
An East Lothian Council spokesperson said: "I cannot comment on individual cases.
Resources
East Lothian Adult Social Care Services are seeking to meet the needs of the growing population of older people and people with disabilities within our cash-limited resources.
"It is our duty to make best use of those resources and to match them to people's needs.
"As part of this duty, we have to review services as people's needs change.
"This may result in a change to the way we provide services."
Is your family affected by cutbacks in East Lothian Council care services? If so please contact the East Lothian News on 0131 561 6600 or email Chief Reporter Avril Campbell
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Sunday 05 February 2012
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