Today, on the front page of our newspaper, is a story "When Care Can't Wait-But It Does".
My husband and I read the entire article.
Right now, for what it is worth, this article is the #2 most popular on the Press Connects website. #1 most popular article is one about a man who died in a car crash.
It's about time this issue gains front-page status. This is hidden to a lot of people, but isn't going to be hidden for many people longer, especially as the parents of those "one in every 150" children age...as do these children, once they are adults.
It is going to be very visible.
Bil is just in the "front" of this problem. Soon, his 80ish year old mother is no longer going to be able to care for him. It may be tomorrow, it may be 5 years from now, but it is going to happen.
And, some years ago, she gave up the opportunity for Bil to be in a good placement, because she didn't want to have him leave her house. Now, with increasing disabilities, she finds that Bil can only help her so much. I really don't know what she was expecting. But what is done is done.
We were recently told by the supervisor of service coordination at the agency where Bil receives service coordination that the group homes in downstate NY are closing. And, because my mother in law rejected this placement, he was taken off a group home list. (he is still on another list, NYS Cares).
Bil is in what is called the '2nd tier' of NYS Cares. First tier are individuals who are a danger to themselves or others, or who are in imminent danger of being homeless. Bil right now is not in this situation, but could be at any time. 2nd tier, where he is, is for individuals whose caretakers are aging and might soon be too infirm to care for them.
I want to make it clear that my mother in law cares for Bil by choice. And, because I am not a mother in this situation, perhaps I can not totally understand how she thinks. But it is a matter of frustration, and it is starting up again.
We are going to see Bil and my mother in law sometime in August, and I wonder if this is going to come up. All the interested parties seem to be tap dancing around this-and I have expressed my frustration before.
But with these budget cuts, we have to be active advocates. We can't sit back anymore.
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