De-institution
The 1970’s saw a great effort to “de-institutionalize” housing for people incapable of caring for themselves. Closing ‘insane asylums’, for lack of a better description. The grandiose idea was for community based group homes to provide a better setting.
How has that worked out?
This is an issue that deeply affects me. My first born, now 51, was severely autistic from birth. All of my adult life he has required my attention, and finances, to deal with his challenges. NOTE: I don’t ask for anyone’s pity. God gave him to me and he is my responsibility. Case closed.
Who doubts much of the homeless in our communities are individuals with major mental issues?
Acceptance by others is the greatest desire of the mentally impaired. Of that I am certain. The community they fit into today is the drug culture/homeless population.
What are their alternatives?
A decent overview our history of people afflicted with mental illness and developmental issues can be found here. This isn’t light or pleasant reading and will bring out many shouts of, “yeah, but”.
It does illustrate people who recognized the problem and made efforts to come to solutions. To me, that trumps apathy.
I will be blunt. We need ‘insane asylums’ to safely house those who cannot care for themselves or are a danger to others. Policing one or more state institutions will always be easier than scores of private group homes. Advocates, such as myself, can and will raise hell when One Flew over the Cuckoo Nest.
Not one of my usual posts, to be sure.
What brightens my day and eases my burdens.
As always, YMMV
10 comments:
There are a number of issues that people have that are expensive to treat - and treatment often does not work the way anyone would like to have it work. Traditionally there have been institutions devoted to address the issue and they have been far less than perfect.
My experience with small towns is that people with these problems find more acceptance. "He didn't turn out to be the man people hoped he might be, but he needs our love." I've seen a lot of that. There are people like that where I live now and they find acceptance that they wouldn't have in a city.
A friend has devoted his life to working with these cast-off members of our society. The stories he tells are heart rending. The city of Wichita has been known to transport such to our relatively small burg and dump 'em out on the street. Free Willy, so to speak, and an innovative misapplication of "the tyranny of large numbers." We're ill-equipped to deal with this budgetarily and logistically. "Ad Astra Per Aspera"
LL
Regarding small towns, you are correct.
W.w.w
Bless your friend. At the moment in our small city a murder trial is taking place where a caregiver killed the person he was 'caring'.
Yeah, what you said to W.w.w.!
My Wife's twin brother was severely mentally challenged... he may have had the mental capabilities of a 3 year old. The State of IL might have a better system for care than most, and he was well fed and well cared for. The facility he was housed in was an hour away, so we were able to check on him often to insure his well-being. When some caregivers there approached him you could see him physically stiffen with fear. We worked to have those folks dismissed and they were soon gone, but...
All the folks caring for these people are UNDERPAID. And I fear like the Boy Scouts, Catholic Priests, and organizations that cater to young children, a certain undesirable element may be attracted to those jobs.
Are we willing to pay these people a decent wage so quality, intelligent people will take the job?
Probably not.
Concur with LL, but have also 'interacted' with them in a jail environment, and as a VFD. Neither of those situations was easy or happy making. You are correct, we DO need asylums for those who cannot function in society, and need protection, sometimes from themselves.
Old NFO
Some of the situations test your humanity. I have a neighbor a disabled police officer who took four rounds to the chest many years ago and. More health problems since. My compassion for the man is tempered by his consumption of a case of beer (or more) a week.
GB
Underpaid is a problem. Parallel case. In Colorado more inmates have died riding in dilapidated busses then have received the death penalty.
Understood. And that is a bunch of beer, so he's contributing to his problems.
Missed this post...
Yes, we absolutely need some kind of Institution to provide safe housing and care for this group of people.
Good boy, Banner!
DrJim
The neighbor is back home. Weak, but her son's brought her a recliner that raises.
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