A B.C. family is facing an agonizing decision when it comes to their daughter who is mentally disabled.
“We’re really struggling at this point,” Rae-Anne Schneider said.
Her daughter, Neve, lives with a rare genetic condition and requires full-time one-on-one care.
She turned 19 years old in December, which means she has now aged out of the specialized care available through the school system and provincial programs.
“We’re stuck now trying to figure out if we can care for our child, or remain employed,” Rae-Anne said.
“As she aged out of high school, we found out there was no funding left, for any of the kids aging into adult services.”
Neve’s parents both work full-time and were able to arrange care for the summer.
However, in September, educational assistants will return to work and short-time respite funding will dry up.
They told Global News that they are unable to afford several thousand dollars a month for adequate care or care for Neve full-time themselves.
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“It’s a simple solution, we’re just looking for somebody to help bridge the gap,” dad Ryan Thomas said. “We can pay for some of it.”
The issue is not a new one for families in B.C.
Advocates say that care for adults with disabilities should be subsidized and made more accessible as the wait list for group homes is lengthy.
“This is impacting so many people and so many families, and what are we supposed to do?” Rae-Anne said.
“It’s like they’re forcing us to give her up. And that’s heartbreaking.”
The B.C. government does provide care for adults with disabilities if the government takes over care during their childhood.
However, Neve’s parents did not want to do that.
“We chose to keep Neve as part of the family and to support her, and now we’re left hanging out to dry,” Ryan said.
“There’s nothing left for her as she enters adulthood.”
B.C.’s Social Development and Poverty Reduction Minister, Sheila Malcolmson, previously told Global News in a statement that the government is taking families’ concerns seriously and is working with Community Living BC to find a solution.
Global News has reached out to the ministry again to find out if there is an update.
“We live in Canada, this isn’t a third-world country,” Ryan said.
“This is a country that has social services and looks after its people. Or so I thought.”
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