Adults with intellectual disability are reduced to 'couch-surfing'
Adults with intellectual disability are reduced to “couch-surfing” between family members while waiting to access residential care at the Cope Foundation, where pressure on services is so severe that it needs an extra €34m per annum, according to its chief executive.
In some instances, these adults are “left on the doorstep” of the foundation as families are simply unable to manage, said Seán Abbott.
“It happens more regularly than we would like it to.,” said Mr Abbott “It is a hugely difficult decision for the family to make. But if the parents have passed and there are significant needs involved, it is very hard for a sibling with a young family to look after their brother or sister.”
He said the delays people are encountering trying to access services at Cope are the worst he has witnessed in his 38-year career.
“I have never seen anything like this,” he said. “We always had the ability to say yes to people, now we spend all of our time saying no. We have to sit across the table from people and see the weariness in their eyes and say: ‘We can’t help you, other than advocating for resources on your behalf.’ ”
The dire state of the waiting lists has led to children “ageing out” without ever accessing the early-intervention supports and services they need, said Mr Abbott.
As it stands, there are:
Mr Abbott said they have just 11 whole-time equivalent staff tackling the 1,350 cases on the specialist intervention waiting list and the 400 awaiting assessment.
“No matter how fast we do it, we will never clear it,” said Mr Abbott. “It keeps growing. You wait to get diagnosed. You get diagnosed and you wait for assessment. You get assessed and you wait for intervention.
“We have to decide whose need is the greatest. That’s a huge decision to make and those are the decisions we are making every day.”
He said they are unable to follow Government policy of moving clients from ‘congregated settings’ into the community because they do not have the funds to do so.
Of almost 400 adults in residential care, just eight have moved into homes in the community in the past two years
He said the only investment in intellectual disability nationally had been in the area of school-leavers, with no additional residential places or adult therapies funded.
A service review examining the needs of the Cope Foundation up until 2023 has identified the need for an additional investment of €34m per annum. Mr Abbott said they are also looking to dramatically increase funding from corporate donors and the general public.
Cope currently receives €60m per annum from the HSE. Mr Abbott said they have a good relationship with the HSE locally, “but they are in the same position that we are. They are just not given the level of funding they need to meet service demand.”
The HSE said it has had “ongoing and continued engagement with the Cope Foundation regarding the completion of their service review”.
“Cork Kerry Community Healthcare are currently awaiting final details from Cope Foundation in regard to their service review,” said the HSE.
Cope Foundation is a non-profit organisation which supports more than 2,300 children and adults with intellectual disabilities and/or autism in Cork City and county.
“It was half that figure five years ago,” said Mr Abbott.
