Daniel Lidgett lives in Edmonton and gets home care. Here's his response on looming home care cuts.
Why are you making the changes? I am a tax payer as well! I need the services the "not for profit" support services grant me — Abbey Road Support Services, now your taking them away. Instead, I will be getting Revera a "for profit" organization. Why are you trying to fix something that isn't broken? If I bowel accident, I have help from Abbey Road Support Services in minutes. How long would I have to wait for Revera, minutes? Hours? In my own filth!
I wish everybody in the provincial legislate had to live in are shoes/wheelchair for one day. It’s not not easy. We need help 24 hours a day.
Getting up, having a bowel routine which lasts for two hours, and then getting dressed. Being disabled is a full time job.
Then there's the staff of support services: they make about $20 an hour, not enough for what they do, but a living wage. Now Revera — and they are for profit, remember — will get $25 an hour, but they only pay their staff $13 an hour it. So Revera is making a profit of $12 an hour. What’s up with that? So, taxpayer is paying for a big company.
Abbey Road Support Services is non-profit, and all the money is spent in-house. Please reconsider your decision to have it replaced.
PLEASE CONSIDER SIGNING AN ON-LINE PETITION AGAINST HOME CARE CUTS
I support the cuts. We all get them. Doesn't make it better but it's part of life. I think some agencies are upset about it cause they wot be able to go on lavish trips or climb Mount Kilminjaro- all done in the name of PDD. Good job PDD you figured out where soe of your money is going:)
ReplyDeleteIn response to Anonymous (posted June 8th, 22:37): before you post an opinionated piece that is based on "facts" about lavish trips or climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro (and that's how it's spelled, by the way), you should double check them. I am not a member of the agency to which I know you are referring, but I couldn't be more proud to know them. You seemed to have left out one tiny detail: these trips were for the individuals they support (and only a few support staff went go them), to give them the opportunities to travel, which we can often times take for granted (for which they have also been nationally recognized). Also, your reference to Kilimanjaro was first and foremost a humanitarian effort, where staff and individuals brought BASIC amenities to an orphanage AFTER staff and some individuals climbed to the top of the tallest mountain in Africa. I encourage you to take a look at some of the photos they've posted from these "lavish" trips and make your judgement call only after you've become more acquainted with the group you seem largely ignorant towards. Believe me, the money was going to the right place.
ReplyDeleteMr. Anonymous,
ReplyDeleteYour reply is just plain stupid. Nothing lavish about our lifestyles. Took two years to plan and save. Like everyone else, people with disabilities have jobs, plan and save. We volunteered! Had nothing to do with PDD. Dumbass!