| Case Study
“I had to get rid of my housemates in order to get extra HACC assistance. I had male housemates and I was told they were expected to help care for me, e.g. food, cleaning, shopping, everything! But none of these people were my partner, they were just housemates, and they were male — how could I expect them to help me shower or go to the toilet? So I was forced into sole living because of the HACC guidelines.”358
Case Study
Jack was involved in a car accident approximately 20 years ago and following a lengthy stay in hospital was eventually able to move into his own home in the community with appropriate social support. At that time, public policy supported people with disability to become as independent as possible and resume a life in the community. Jack was provided with 25 hours of support per week to assist him with personal care, cleaning and community access and this was administered through a non-government service provider. Jack felt he had some control over his life as his workers were employed specifically for him. Jack made decisions about who was employed and when they worked. This gave Jack the opportunity to have a private and social life to assume his interests and hobbies.
As Jack aged and his support needs increased, and there were growing demands from other people with disability for support, the service commenced rationing and cutbacks, placing Jack at risk of institutionalisation when his weekly hours of support were progressively reduced to 20 then 15 hours a week.359
Dostları ilə paylaş: |
