Could we make money selling our body heat?

Tuesday 22nd February 2011, 3:00PM GMT.

From Daphne Minihane.
DURING the States debate on whether or not a heating allowance should be made available to older people (not middle Jersey, of course), Deputy Rob Duhamel suggested that instead of increasing cold-weather payments elderly people should take in lodgers, or live together to share heating costs or body heat.

Wow, what an idea! Why didn’t we think of it ourselves? So, my fellow senior citizens, with walking sticks, walking frames and all other aids at the ready, we could be at the start of a new and lucrative business.

How do we begin? For our own safety in the home, which is paramount in this day and age, we would need to find an office in which to interview potential clients. Maybe Deputy Duhamel could be persuaded to take this onus off us, and conduct the interviews himself.

Then we could arrange for one group of pensioners to do the laundry (beds etc have to be changed) and another to do the shopping, to ensure our lodgers don’t go hungry. Fantastic, and then what bliss – we will be able to conserve our body heat by snuggling down with whoever, at night. I can’t wait.
Problem solved.

No, it is not an April fool – it is real. If you missed this gem, then read the article (JEP, 17 February). I found it both
offensive and degrading.

What planet is the Deputy living on – and who does he think we are?

1
Fee

February 22, 2011 at 3:18 pm

I think Deputy Duhamel has been in the States too long and lost touch with reality. He one of our Deputies and we only see him once every three years.

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2
Peter Price

February 22, 2011 at 3:19 pm

If this article is true then the Deputy owes the elderly of the Island an appology. What a terrible thing to suggest – prices are gointg up, old people are really worried and the Deputy says something like this. The man needs to think before opening his mouth and I think there will be alot of young and elderly people that will remember this tone at the next election.

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3
joker

February 22, 2011 at 5:23 pm

If the working population were asked to do this it would be showing initiative but because it is mentioned to a specific group i.e. the elderly it becomes offensive. As far as I’m aware, lodgers wash their own dishes, sheets and clothes and do their own shopping. In fact who’s to say the lodgers couldn’t do those very things for the elderly for reduced rent? Finally not everyone under retirement age is a monster.

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4
Leah Holmes

February 22, 2011 at 6:01 pm

#2 There will probably also be a lot of people looking for somewhere to stay when the Deputy is older. Can’t wait to see if he offers accommodation!

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5
bigger picture

February 22, 2011 at 7:00 pm

Deputy Duhamel’s comments need to be taken in context. I suspect that he was commenting on the fact that many elderly people end up living in houses that are much larger than they can afford to heat properly – so his suggestion of sharing or lodgers has some merit if it allows the person to remain in their own home whilst being able to afford to heat it.
State support for heating should first be targetted at making the properties better at retaining heat by installing insulation. I believe that there is a programme in plaec that is already doing this.

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6
Fee

February 23, 2011 at 9:27 am

Would be nice if Deputy Duhamel took more interest in St Saviour like Deputies Lewis and Macon.

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7
Nathan Jordan

February 23, 2011 at 9:39 am

Why stop there? I say – save water, shower together!

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8
PJG

February 23, 2011 at 10:57 am

What a ridiculous rant. Why the hell shouldn’t OAPs, the same as the rest of us make the most from our assets before putting out the begging hand?

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9
small business

February 23, 2011 at 12:52 pm

“I think Deputy Duhamel has been in the States too long and lost touch with reality. He one of our Deputies and we only see him once every three years.”

He’s on board now don’t forget one of the “elite” ministers or assistant in his case.

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