A Time For Change

Disabled persons in Newfoundland & Labrador have come under recent attack via Health and Community Services, whereby long term established care has been tested and tried by appointed Community Health Boards which lack educated and experienced personnel in being able to make proper judgment calls in often life threatening medical situations.

These boards are without specific direction or education on the need of individual clients and situations have arisen where disabled individuals have been left helpless and alone to provide for themselves.

Assessments previously conducted on clients with programs and services in effect as a result of these assessments have in many cases been privy to the discretion of front line workers, whereby irrational decisions have been made, and negatively affecting client services. Clients with sever and life altering disabilities are now being placed in unfair predicaments and many are taking ill.

Hospitalization of various individuals with severe disability requires specifically trained and experienced individuals to care for the patient. In all cases if this is a requirement of clients under the umbrella of Health and Community Services, then funding is channeled to the client for the purpose of employing these client supports. If however a client is hospitalized for more than 72 hours he/she will lose both funding and supportive service of the employee. This often puts grave detriment on the patient as most hospital staff are generally trained and have no experience in disease specific disability.

Persons with such osteo disease are now at severe risk of injury. This has to change.