Lower class missing out on government support

Disabled person should not have to wait five months to be able to see clearly

My daughter was diagnosed with epilepsy when she was 11 years old. She has lived at Fitzroy Centre for the past 25 or so years, and depends on Social Services for financial support.

Her seizures, partial, complex, and falling, number in the thousands. The falling seizures have sometimes resulted in serious medical consequences. She has had investigations done by neurologists in London, Ontario, Halifax and Montreal at the Neurological Institute.

Similar to hockey and soccer players she probably has had many concussions.

Her last falls were Sunday, October 8, after a pleasant Thanksgiving dinner with her family, where she said the Thanksgiving prayer. Family drove her home and saw her safely through her two outer doors. While doing some hand laundry that evening, she fell. Her Philips Lifeline device, recently acquired, called her.

She responded to the first call and told them she thought she was OK. They then called the first person on her emergency list who immediately left to help. They then called my daughter for a second time and she was unresponsive. As required by protocol, EMC was then notified and responded promptly.

In addition, a second daughter who was visiting the Island also went to Fitzroy Centre. It appears that she fell twice, as she had a soreness on the back of her head as well as a bruise and abrasion on her forehead. In addition her glasses were bent and a lens was broken.

I took her to Family Vision Centre on Tuesday morning and they ordered a new lens. Imagine my dismay, when my daughter called me later to tell me her financial advisor at Social Services said the department would not pay for the repair until March of 2018. The cost was $47. Fortunately I was able to pay for her.

Our governments, both federal and provincial say they want to help the middle class. Middle to me implies an upper class (the 1 per centers) and a lower class, very seldom discussed, which certainly includes those depending on Social Services. Surely a disabled person who broke her glasses, through no fault of her own, should not have to wait five months to be able to see clearly.