A DISTURBING image of an elderly homeless woman with dementia found sleeping in the rain in Dublin has sparked more concern online.
The image was first shared on Twitter by charity worker Anthony Flynn, who called the emergency services after coming across the elderly woman sleeping rough in wet conditions.
According to the Inner City Helping Homeless founder, the woman, who suffers from dementia, had spent the night exposed to the elements on a wet and windy night in the Irish capital.
He wrote "Society is failing our elderly!!!!”
"This morning we have been called to a lady who slept in the rain last night.
"The lady, (who) was soaked to the bone, is in her late 60s suffering with dementia. She has been transported to hospital."
The tweet sparked an angry response online.
“For god’s sake there must be somewhere safe, warm and dry for homeless people - this is unacceptable. This is not ok,” one follower said.
“It's heart breaking,” another said. “What happened to looking after our elderly?”
“So glad she was found and is in the hospital now,” a third said.
“But things like this should not be happening. People should not be homeless. Not a single one.”
Earlier this week a photo of an elderly homeless woman eating dinner on a windowsill in Dublin sparked similar fury online.
The snap was posted to Facebook by The Homeless Street Cafe, a charity based in the Irish capital who look to help and support rough sleepers around the country.
It showed an elderly woman in a trench-coat eating a meal from a plastic bowl, as the charity admit their work is nothing but "a plaster on what is just a horrific wound".
The charity say they've seen the woman at the same spot every week, and say they're "heartbroken" to watch her spend her 'golden years' in this way.
"Tonight was essentially a “successful” night for us," they wrote in a post on Facebook.
"We had food for everyone, lots of clothes and toiletries and even treats for most people. Our volunteers looked after our service users and our cooks and bakers outdid themselves.
"But even on your best night it’s nothing but a plaster or a bandaid on what is just a horrific wound. This issue is beyond crisis.
"People always want to talk to us about the children we meet and how sad that is. If I’m honest I find the older generation that use our service even more heartbreaking. It seems there is no time left for change for them, a dearth of hope really.
Tonight was essentially a “successful” night for us. We had food for everyone, lots of clothes and toiletries and even...
Posted by The Homeless Street Cafe on Tuesday, January 14, 2020
"To be living in food or heat poverty at their age, relying on a soup kitchen for necessities is horrifying to witness.
"I watch this woman eat her meal from a plastic bowl on a window sill every week and I despair that this is her ‘golden years’.
"Tonight as we thought we’d had a successful night and packed up for home, word reaches us that another homeless person has died on our streets. God love this poor man, perished while forgotten to this horrendous crisis. The indignity of it all. We are all saddened but unfortunately not surprised."
The photo emerged in the same week it was reported that a homeless man was left critically injured after Dublin City Council removed his tent from the side of a canal walk way, using an industrial machine with a claw, with the man still inside.
