Encouraging news. Women, Family and Community Developement Minister said that what we need is a new methodology and a paradigm shift in the system and to move forward with a new mentality. The government is open to any suggestion and help, particularly foreign expertise, on the method of caring for the disabled.
Already we have one such offer of help from Kay Solomon, a speech and language therapist and trained treacher who worked in Malaysia in various centres for the disabled from 1983 to 1993. In her article she writes :
Taman Sinar Harapan has hit the Press before but the devastating reality for those living there is that it soon becomes old news. Floors are polished (new tiles laid), new clothes and toys are bought, curtains hung and a number of heads banged if not rolled but the reality of day to day life does not change for either the residents or for those who work there. I believe lasting change within the existing set up is almost impossible to sustain.
What is the solution?I see short term and long term solutions.
LONG TERM SOLUTION :
The responsibility and solution lies with us as a community and with those who work and make decisions at government level.
We must lobby for :
- Malaysia to catch up with the rest of the world. Over the last few decades governments worldwide have moved to relocate people with disabilities away from such institutions to live either :
- back with their family, where no matter how disabled they are, they have access to government provided day-school/centers/work places for them to attend. Such families are then supported with short-term respite care where the family can take short break from caring for their family member who is disabled.
or
- in small group homes in local houses in the community staffed by trained workers where they also get to attend programmes during the day.
- back with their family, where no matter how disabled they are, they have access to government provided day-school/centers/work places for them to attend. Such families are then supported with short-term respite care where the family can take short break from caring for their family member who is disabled.
- a realistic staff to resident ratio wherever people with disability are cared for – for some with very severe behaviour and physical and intellectual difficultis this may mean a 1:2 or 1:3 ratio.
- a quality of life for people with disability which includes education, rehabilitation and integration into the community and not just care.
The long term solution for the Taman Sinar Harapans across the country is to disestablish them and make smaller more community based centres and services. Taman Sinar Harapan, KKB did begin this process back in the early 1990s by establishing one group home for the more able.
There needs to be a task committee set up to plan and begin this process. This committee should consist of people from the various Government Departments involved, together with experts from NGOs, some of whom are already running successful programmes in the community.
For the full text of this article, please visit dignityandservices.blogspot.com.
This long term solution is certainly a paradigm shift and we must ensure that it is put into practice.
The Micah Mandate is a Christian-based public interest advocacy ministry that seeks a transformation of our nation through justice, mercy and humility.
