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It is well known that all Salesians fathers are well looked after in their retirement. Many still hold active duties and have the luxury of more time in doing the things they enjoy.
Those who unfortunately are in poor health are provided with medical care and, like Father Deane, lived in nursing homes where they receive assistance and care in their daily life.
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Then why was it necessary to contribute privately to Father Deane's needs?
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Although the nursing homes Father Deane was excellent in many respects, not all the needs of a Parkinson's Disease patient could be adequately dealt with by the nursing home without incurring costs in addition to those provided by the Salesians.
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In the years since he suffered the disability, what were these needs?
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To understand the needs of Father Deane one must understand Parkinson's Disease. Contrary to most believed, Parkinson's Disease is not a sickness but is rather a disability. This disability, if unchecked, will cause complications and illness.
To counter the effects of Parkinson's disease, Father needed mostly mental stimulation - talk with friends, chat about familiar topics, interest of others in him and what he had done, etc. Yet it was impossible to meet these needs as Father spent nearly all his life in Hong Kong with most of his memory there and his friends in other parts of the world. In Ireland, his friends, including two friends (Bosco Keown and Chris) and Father Foster, were very few.
In an attempt to provide this much needed stimulus, an invitation was extended to Father Deane in May 1998 to visit Australia but it was not approved.
As a result of his difficulty in mobility, Father grew more stiff. A periodic massage therapy was arranged to help allienate the deterioration. A carer was hired to visit Father frequently. Personal effects lost from time to time would have to be replaced quickly. Other accessories to facilitate Father's life in the nursing home were also purchased and installed.
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What more needs were forseeable?
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As a pensioner in Ireland, Father was entitled to basic medical care. As he only returned to Ireland after 40 years overseas, he had no private health insurance, should he suffer any illness that requires hospitalisation, he would not have been be able to elect the best doctors available.
The financial resources to provide him with this option was paramount in his well-being.
Other daily expenses included long distance calls for him to talk to other Old Boys and friends, occasional treat to have a meal in a restaurant other than the nursing home, flowers and snacks,, etc.
In short, what Father needed was what any ailing elder member of a family would need.
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Have the objectives of the Trust been fulfilled?
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In our opinion, in the eight years the Trust has acted as a conduit of donations to the benefits of Father, his physical, emotional and psychological well-being had been evidently improved by the resources of funding and the unyielding devotion of his friends and students.
Most of all, it was Salesians Society’s steadfast support of their priests that made it possible for Father to spend his last years in comfort and safety.
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©Copyright 1999 Father Deane Foundation Fund. All rights reserved.
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11 Nov 1999
