Who will take car of my adult with an IDD when I can no longer
My husband and I have a 21 year old Daughter on the Autism Spectrum combined with some preverbal Trauma. Though she is smart and funny and capable of many things, she can quickly switch to a behavior that could land her in Jail. We don't have family here or family interested in taking over when we can no longer care for her. Who will make sure she is safe, who will pay her bills, manage her paperwork, help her with daily living activities (take a shower, brush her teeth), help her get to program, to participate in the community etc. The list goes on. My daughter needs what seniors need at the age of 18, paid for by SSI and Medicaid $. Attainable and easily accessible communities that are sustainable. She needs access to healthy food, activities, someone for emergency needs, medication distribution, and most importantly is community, just to name a few. When the community is educated about the needs of the iDD community you can start to build empathy and understanding, so the police are not called when she gets triggered. No one wants an institution. We want nuro-diverse, multi generational living. Where people know each other and support each other. Community. This model is not for everyone. There is a spectrum of need we need a spectrum of choice. Think outside of the box. Be proactive so you don't need to be reactive. This is a BIG issue.
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