‘Support vital for differently abled after parents’ demise
While raising differently-abled children remains a challenge to date, an even bigger challenge is the dilemma faced by elderly parents of Persons with Disabilities (PwD) as to who will take care of their children after their life.
By : migrator
Update: 2018-02-08 00:23 GMT
Chennai
With an easy solution remaining elusive, disability rights activists have said the state government has a crucial responsibility in this regard, even as they stress on the importance of community support.
“It is the state’s responsibility to ensure safety of PwD. However, there are no appropriate facilities available. Despite the availability of many shelters and homes, there is no reasonable accommodation concept,” said Smitha Sadasivan, a disability rights activist.
Stating that the Rights for Persons with Disabilities Act 2016 specifies that persons who have any amount of disability and vulnerability should be able to live in community, she added, “Despite the Act, there are no adequate provisions.
The government should attempt to prioritise the safety of PwD.” She cited the recent example of a 26-year-old man with intellectual disability who lost his life after he went missing recently.
Smitha also broached upon the idea of a community approach. “It is important that everyone from the local community comes forward. Section 15 of the Rights for Persons with Disabilities Act 2016 talks about appropriate support to PwD to make legal decisions.
Besides making such provisions, the government should make provisions to support them in the making of decisions as well.” It is in this regard, a Coimbatore based group, has come up with a concept of a model for an integrated community for the elderly parents of PwD.
The facility is expected to come up in Coimbatore by October this year. Care would be provided to children even after their parents’ death.
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