While I Wait

The best solution

What do people on the DDA Waiting List & their families do while they wait?
What are the consequences of having to wait for needed supports & services?
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John:  John lives with his cousin, who cares for him and his brother who also has a developmental disability. John’s cousin is unable to work because John remains home all day.

Jim:  Jim’s mother passed away and he lives at home with his stepfather. Jim’s stepfather has a brain tumor. Jim needs assistance for all home management and personal needs.

Carla:  Carla lives in a home that is not accessible.  Her dad carries her up and down the stairs, but he has developed back problems.

Val:  Val goes to work every day with his sister because he can’t stay home alone and they don’t have help, which is jeopardizing his sister’s job.

Ray:  Ray is an elderly gentleman who lives with his 89 year old mother, who has Alzheimer’s.  Both Ray and his mom are cared for by his sister Georgette. Georgette has fallen quite ill and is quickly becoming less and less able to manage Ray and his mother’s care.

Wes:  Wes currently lives with his mother, who is his primary caregiver.  She has been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.  She is on various medications that leave her exhausted an unable to care for herself or for Wes.

Stuart:  Stuart has a head injury and significant medical issues.  His mom quit her job to care for him at home, but needs the income.

Mary Sue:  Mary Sue’s caregiver had a stroke and can no longer provide care.  She is temporarily living with a cousin who begins a new job and will no longer be able to support Mary Sue.

Tara: Tara is a two year old girl that has multiple disabilities. Unlike most children her age,  instead of her room being filled with toys and stuffed animals, her room is filled with monitors, tubes, and drains. Her father is no longer able to work since she requires care every hour of the day and sees multiple specialists.

Jack:  Jack’s family removed him and his brother from their mother’s home after she had repeated hospitalizations for dementia.  Jack’s brother works full time and is unable to provide the support they need.  Jack’s brother’s wife has cerebral palsy and she is not able to care for Jack and his brother.

Lora:  Lora and her sister, who also has a developmental disability, live at home with their 83 year old mother.  Both siblings have problems walking and are confined to a second floor apartment.

Joe: Joe stays at home while his parents work and has to rely on neighbors and friends to help him out of the house during the day.

Joyce:  Joyce, who has cerebral palsy, uses a wheelchair and requires assistance with all activities of daily living, receives her care from her elderly grandmother who just recovered from a stroke.

Olivia:  Olivia’s mother lost her job because she had to take a lot of time off to stay at home and watch Olivia, who has a significant disability. There is no one to provide day time care for Olivia and she cannot be left alone.

Megan:  Megan lives at home with her parents.  She would like to work, but cannot find supported employment.  Her parents are struggling to pay the bills and costs associated with having Megan live at home.

Brian:  Brian is in elementary school.  He is blind.  He cannot walk and crawls along the floor to get around.  He used to be able to walk, but his grandparents don’t have the money to pay for more physical therapy so he has regressed.  He does not speak. Brian’s grandparents have adopted him and they live off his grandfather’s income. His grandmother stays home to take care of him.  His grandparents are getting older and wonder what will happen to Brian when they are gone.

Jacob: Jacob is a teenage boy who has a genetic disorder. He uses a wheelchair and weighs 150lbs. Jacob and his family live in a house located on top of a hill. His father is his caregiver and must lift him up two flights of stairs in order to get him into their home. Jacob’s father is worried about what he will do when he is no longer able to physically lift him.

Tom: Tom, who has a developmental disability, sits at home all day and watches TV.  He has no friends and very little social interaction. He wishes he had something to do during the day.

Richard:  Richard was living with his brother who recently died and now he has no one else to take care of him.

 

 

Names have been changed to protect people’s privacy.

 

Source: Resource Coordinators