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ODSP News

Testimonials

April, 2005

As parents of a severely disabled 40 year old son who cannot walk, or talk or feed himself, we have agonized about who we might count on to oversee his care when we were no longer able.

Fortunately, Greg has lived in a nearby March of Dimes Independent Living building for the past 10 years where he is very happy. He gets full-time attendant support care during the week and he’s home with us every week-end. But we wanted to ensure that he could continue to enjoy a safe and secure lifestyle when we were no longer able to personally supervise his care. That’s why we became members of the OFCP’s Long Term Planning and Support Program when it was launched 3 years ago. With the OFCP’s help, we have had several “Circle of Friends” meetings in Greg’s building organized by OFCP staff and attended by our other children, older grandchildren, March of Dimes staff and caregiver friends. At these meetings, Greg and his siblings were able to learn about the support services which would be provided as a result of the planning we have done. The answers to the “what if” questions have provided “peace of mind” both to Greg and our family as well as our other caregivers. Thank you OFCP!

Joyce and Ted G.

A Father's Story

It was forty eight years ago next month, September 27th, that our first child was born. A full term uneventful pregnancy, there seemed no reason for my wife, Thelma, and I to be overly concerned. However, this was not to be a routine delivery and after thirty eight hours in labour, Paul was born. Paul was never weighed at birth but the nurses guessed that he was nine and a half pounds. The doctors said that Paul was having difficulty breathing, that it was unlikely that he would live and that he should be moved from Toronto Western Hospital to Toronto Hospital for Sick Children immediately. So we packed Paul into a portable incubator and along with a nurse I headed for Sick Kids. I guess that was my first real involvement in endeavoring to obtain services for Paul, it took about two and one half hours to admit him, even though the incubator from Western could not be used at Sick Children's, he had to be without assistance for all that time. Eventually, after six weeks, Paul came home. A year later we were told that his condition was Cerebral Palsy, he would never walk or talk or be able to understand us and after forty eight years of special schools, treatment centres, housing facilities etc. Paul lives in his own apartment with attendant services. Thelma passed away some years ago and while in the hospital she spoke of the future and asked me to promise that I would do all that I could to ensure that Paul would be able to have a reasonable life style when we were no longer there to care. When a group of parents involved with the OFCP came together about two years ago to consider how they might find some solution to this nagging concern, it was like an answer to many, many prayers. After a lot of hard work and two years later the Long Term Planning and Support Program of the OFCP is underway. Incidently, my youngest daughter Lisa, she is both epileptic and diabetic, will also benefit from this new program. Interesting to me is the fact that when Thelma was in hospital and while she was explaining what it was that she prayed for was that something would someday be in place for Paul and Lisa, this group of parents who joined together to develop the program, all related to that same prayer. It is very comforting for me to know that Thelma's prayers will be answered and our oldest daughter Christine will get the support she needs to carry on when I am no longer around.

Clarence M....

Our youngest son, Brian, was born March 17, 1960. Later, we would learn that he had cerebral palsy and would always need care. At the age of 25 he became a resident of Participation Lodge, a facility that was developed to provide care for severely handicapped people in our area. It took many months for him to adjust, but he is now happy and content there. He is well cared for and we are in regular contact.
However, as we age, we know that we will not always be able to monitor the situation. Time moves on, staff people and management people change. As a long-term member of the O. F.C.P. board I became very interested and involved with their Long Term Planning and Support Program. This plan has evolved over a number of years and offers several levels of service. My wife, Jean, and I believe it will give us peace of mind and relief to know his care will continue to be monitored according to our contract, after we are unable to do it ourselves .

Les and Jean P.