I am the guardian for my brother, who has lived at Michener Center for the past 51 years.
He has Down syndrome and is non-verbal.
He currently lives in one of the group homes on the Michener grounds.
I worry that the current plans for Michener will lead to his home being privatized and/or being used for some of the more severely disabled residents, with him being moved into the general community of Red Deer.
This place is home to him and to those with even more severe cognitive, physical and behavioural issues.
In recent years, he has been diagnosed with diabetes, which has been managed superbly by Michener staff.
Increasing mobility issues have lead to his using a walker but he is still able to make his way to the Roland Michener Rec Centre, which is his favourite hangout. He especially likes to be involved in the Sunday church activities. He knows everyone and everyone knows him.
How anyone can say that moving him or any of the more mentally and physically challenged residents into the community is in the best interests of the residents, is beyond me.
Have the politicians who made this decision been to visit the Michener community?
Have they seen the excellent care given to these most fragile, vulnerable people?
And are we to believe that they are actually doing this for the betterment of these residents?
The only walls or fences isolating the Michener residents from the surrounding community are the ones around the new development that is rapidly evolving around the centre.
No doubt the developers would love to see the Michener buildings gone to create even more commercial/residential properties.
I suspect that this land is seen as much more valuable than a few vulnerable people who can’t speak for themselves.
As I walked my dogs yesterday I was thinking about my brother and admiring the beautiful fresh snow everywhere and I wondered about the true motives of our government. We all know what lies under that sparkling blanket of snow, don’t we?
Anne Henderson
Edmonton