Carole shared her ongoing story.

 

Her son is 26 with several health challenges including being developmentally challenged. He wants to live his life, to not live at home and not take direction from his mother. He is full of life and energy with his own goals and aspirations. He has a sense of humour and is capable of learning to look after himself.

 

Carole has been looking to find satisfactory support for her son since 2014. It has been a monumental struggle, involving separation from her partner, loosing her first career. She went back to school and became a personal support worker.

 

Her journey started in Hamilton and has gone through several bad experiences with people and organizations as hosts / support for her son. Sometimes not wanting mom in the picture and wanting all financial supports turned over to supposed care givers. Her son gets ODSP funding and Passport funding from Province based on needs assessment. Some of the places were very bad, dirty and in disrepair and worse. They can look good on outside and say all the right things but in reality be non-hygienic. He is now with Christian Horizons organization which is also where Carole works, a non profit organization funded by the Ministry, but some of their hosts are less then adequate and during COVID inspections are discouraged and homes can be in squalor. Carole moved to Brighton three years ago to be closer to her son.

 

Last summer he stayed with Carole and went to Sunny Daze day camp, riding his bike to the beach.

 

Carole believes he will do better in a small community.

 

R Emily pointed out that small communities are hard do to a lack of public transportation systems to get around.

 

Carole was encouraged that to be an advocate for her son she needs to be loud and vocal. There is a great need in our communities for supports and a huge gap in available support.

 

She was encouraged to contact Community Living locally.

 

R Liesje thanked Carole for sharing her story with us.