Wexford Borough Council have pinned an eviction notice to the door of Elizabeth Busher, Wolfe Tone Villas, Wexford.

The 81 year old pensioner, suffers from Alzheimers Disease, and because of this has had to be hospitalised in St. John's in Enniscorthy, however, she spends at least two days a week in her home of 58 years.

She has NO rent arrears. She has received the order to be out of the house by August 9th.
The Enniscorthy Echo reports:

81-year-old Alzheimer’s patient is threatened with eviction

AN 81-YEAR-OLD Alzheimer’s patient has been served with a notice to quit her home of 58 years by Wexford Borough Council.

Elizabeth Busher has been a local authority tenant, at 16, Wolfe Tone Villas, since 1952 but her family has been told that she must vacate the property by August 9 or court proceedings will be initiated.

“I love coming home and having my family around me,” said Mrs. Busher, when the Echo met her at her home this week.

Her family has not told her about the council’s plans to evict her within the next two weeks, saying “the news would kill her”.

Since suffering a stroke in 2005, Mrs. Busher has been a resident of St. John’s nursing home but her family has taken her back to her family home, twice a week, since she was admitted.

On Wednesday, a notice to quit, was nailed to the front door of the elderly woman’s home, demanding that she vacate the premises and return the key to the local authority.

“We didn’t find out about it until a neighbour called us to say it was there, which I found very upsetting.

“The neighbours thought my mother was being evicted because she was behind on her rent, or that there was an issue with antisocial behaviour but, the real reason, is that the council doesn’t believe my mother is still a tenant even though she pays her rent, €33, every week,” said Richard Busher.

Mr. Busher said his mother has been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s and said the return trips to her family home every week help stimulate her memory and “boost her heart”.

“We have a very large extended family, lots of grandchildren and great children, and she loves being up here surrounded by her family for those two days. The family calls the house her “little dump” but it’s her castle and she loves it it’s full of memories and all of the sentimental ornaments she collected throughout her life,” he said.

Mr. Busher said he has been in negotiations for some time with the borough council and said the eviction notion was the latest in a long line of correspondence, concerning his mother’s tenancy, which he had received.

He said he had offered to buy the house, which is in serious need of refurbishment, from the council but his offer had been refused.

“I told the council that one of the grandchildren could move in here, during the week, to make sure it was occupied and, as it stands, the family keeps up the maintenance of the house while my mother is in St. John’s.

“I have bent over backwards, trying to reach a compromise, but I am running up against a brick wall at every turn,” he said.

In fact, Mr. Busher said all elderly, local authority, tenants in the town should be concerned as “if it can happen to my mother, it can happen to anyone”.

“I am aware of a similar situation with another elderly woman who was recently hospitalised and I think that elderly people in the town should be very careful as they could be next,” he said.

He said the estate has six council houses that are currently unoccupied and boarded up, including two directly opposite his mother’s home, and said he can’t understand why the council is so determined to repossess his mother’s house.

“My mother worked hard during her life and raised six children in this house but now the council wants to throw her out.

“We have no problem returning the key after she passes but she wants to be waked in her own home after she dies. Surely that’s not too much to ask?” he said.

Wexford town clerk Pat Collins said he was unable to comment on individual cases.