- Kevin Healey SAAS
Where do i start! well on Sunday my twin brother came to visit from his home, (Shaun is in a nursing home) he was well wrapped up with a scarf and hat on, i have never seen him wearing one, he normally rips them off, however this Sunday because it was so cold he must have thought that he would keep it on, swinging on his swing in my mum’s back garden, Shaun can’t explain or tell you because he has no communication it’s a good job i can speak up for him!,
well in the evening we took him back to the nursing home where one of the staff told me and my mum that shaun’s ten hours of care is going to be taken away by social services, now the point is that Shaun is severely Autistic with challenging behaviour, now there is 24 hours in a day and 7 days in a week, Shaun has had this care package for the last 5 years, happily going swimming once maybe twice a week, or either out for a meal, so lets evaluate this 10 hours divide by 7 days Ihr and 25 mins a day Shaun gets, well we have to accept that but this is what he has been getting for the last 5 years, we were told that the social worker visited and reviewed his care package and they want to remove it- (because of the cut backs!) its’ Disgusting if Shaun was not in a nursing home he would have to have 24 hour care 7 days a week ie- if living independently through lets say direct payments or an individual budget this would cost health and social services thousands a week to cost look after Shaun.
Now its going under an appeal its not been withdrawn yet but it may do soon, now this is where the AUTISM ACT comes in, statutory Authorities have a legal duties to provide the correct provision and support for people with Asperger/Autism? i just cant belive what is happening am i write in saying are we in the 21st century? or still stuck in the 18th century? the whole system needs a shake up, I’m shocked and horrified and upset as you can inmagine!.
