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	Brendan Courtney has been inundated with stories from members of the public who share his family&#39;s heartbreaking struggle to care for his elderly father.</p>
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	The RT&Eacute; presenter revealed how his family has battled to gain access for his father Frank (75) to the State&#39;s complex Fair Deal scheme.</p>
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	Brendan (43), from Tallaght in Dublin, said his family were &quot;overwhelmed, honoured and humbled&quot; at the reaction to the documentary shown on Monday night, &#39;We Need To Talk About Dad&#39;.</p>
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	He welcomed a commitment from the Department of Health to put together a public consultation process on care for the elderly that came after the programme was aired.</p>
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	&quot;I really hope my dad&#39;s documentary effects change with the Fair Deal scheme and that families start the conversation earlier to think about planning,&quot; Brendan said.</p>
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	&quot;I feel very good about it, dad is really happy.</p>
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	&quot;I fought for him, as all my family did, because we are a tight-knit working-class Dublin family - that&#39;s what we do.&quot;</p>
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	The former &#39;Off The Rails&#39; host said that after the documentary aired, his father Frank thanked him for helping to highlight the issue.</p>
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	&quot;He rubbed my face and said: &#39;I can&#39;t believe you said you love me on TV. I love you enough for the both of us&#39;,&quot; Brendan said.</p>
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	&quot;He&#39;s a kind, loving, gentle giant and my parents did something very special for me growing up.</p>
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	&quot;My parents showed me every day that they loved me unconditionally and I was very lucky that no matter what, I knew they adored and loved me.&quot;</p>
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	There was vast public support for Brendan and his family after the documentary, for shining a light on the troubling issue. Brendan said: &quot;I&#39;m overwhelmed, humbled and honoured that so many people have shared their stories with me since it aired.&quot;</p>
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	During the show, Brendan became emotional as he discussed caring for his father at home or bringing him to a care home after Frank suffered a stroke, leaving him paralysed as a result.</p>
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	Fight</p>
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	The family discussed options, including remortgaging their homes, to access the appropriate care.</p>
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	Frank is currently being looked after in a facility offering him round-the-clock care but it was a long fight.</p>
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	&quot;He&#39;s being very well looked after where he is now and he will remain there now,&quot; Brendan said.</p>
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	&quot;We&#39;ve looked at ways to take from the house for a downstairs loo but we will see what happens now.</p>
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	&quot;I feel we did the right thing.</p>
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	&quot;This documentary has started a conversation we needed to have in Ireland.</p>
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	&quot;I believe my generation is the first in Ireland to have actual choice, to be in a situation where planning is an option.</p>
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	&quot;My parents&#39; generation didn&#39;t even have options for planning children.</p>
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	&quot;We are the first generation to have this talk and be in this position where we can make decisions, but the decisions shouldn&#39;t be made so tough.&quot;</p>
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	Brendan said that across the country, older people are &quot;happier being cared for at home&quot;.</p>
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	&quot;No one has been in touch from the Government since the documentary aired but the Department of Health released a commitment to put together a consultation to talk about home care.</p>
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	&quot;Our situation is we are fortunate he&#39;s in the facility he&#39;s in now.</p>
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	&quot;We&#39;ve come through a tough time but he&#39;s comfortable.&quot;</p>
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	(Published by the Irish Independent on the 18th January 2017)</p>
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	<a href="http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/health/were-the-first-generation-to-face-decision-on-care-for-our-parents-rts-brendan-courtney-35376598.html">http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/health/were-the-first-generation-to-face-decision-on-care-for-our-parents-rts-brendan-courtney-35376598.html</a></p>
