Hope and homelessness | The Irish Times, January 24th, 2020

Sir, – I wrote to The Irish Times in the 1970s with my then-colleagues Dr David Magee and the late social worker John Long: “The buildings in which these men and women are housed belong to another age. Most of the hostels are running to capacity and they have not the staff to meet the needs of the residents other than providing a roof over their heads. There is much need for half-way houses for people trying to stay off alcohol, for psychiatric patients on discharge, and for young people to provide them with direction and support and so keep them from destroying themselves”.

Our letter said much more, especially about vacant houses in the city centre.

What have we learned over the almost 50 years, I wonder. We have had more reports from experts with vast sums of taxpayers’ money spent on same.

Meanwhile there is a huge number of people suffering, together with a growing number of frustrated workers attempting to meet their needs.

The increasing dependency on corporate-speak to highlight or cover up the real pain and potential lost by fellow human beings in a country of great wealth should be a cause for concern and acknowledged.

The following quote by Ernest Hemingway was brought to my notice recently by a friend as we reflected on these issues in the times we are living in: “Hope is never so lost that it can’t be found.” – Yours, etc,

ALICE

LEAHY,

Director of Services,

Alice Leahy Trust,

Dublin 8.

Link

Alice Leahy presents her memoir “The Stars Are Our Only Warmth to President Michael D. Higgins

Alice Leahy presents her memoir “The Stars Are Our Only Warmth to President Michael D. Higgins in Áras an Uachtaráin Monday 1st October 2018.

Alice’s memoir “The Stars Are Our Only Warmth” written with Catherine Cleary and published by O’Brien Press is now available in all good book shops.
All royalties to Alice Leahy Trust.

When a house is not a Home

When challenged to look at what ‘home’ means to us, we usually revert to the homes of our childhood: friends, meals, pets, games, pictures, the presents we got and gave, even the rows we had. Our homes as adults can re-invent the homes of our youth. We can impose our view of home on others. Not everyone’s experience is one of warmth – some people’s memories are of violence, abuse, hunger, pressure, loss of a loved one, no hugs or encouragement. When someone who has been homeless for some time gets a house or a flat, it is not a guarantee of a happy home. It can bring with it other problems: the pressure to become part of a community, to cook, to maintain the space and to pay rent. The fear of not being ‘successful’ at making a home can be a huge burden. The person may not want to ask for help or have anyone that they can ask. They may lack the basic skills that many of us take for granted: cleaning, budgeting, turning on and off the gas, changing fuses. They may leave the front door open, lose keys, leave a tap running or drop a burning cigarette. Their inability to cope can reinforce low self-esteem and make the person feel a failure. Understanding these difficulties, while still having a respect for someone’s right to privacy, could go some way to helping the person to feel more at home in their space.

Taken from TRUST information booklet 2000
© TRUST