Living with Disabilities

Abstract

In the previous chapter disability within the family was discussed, but there are a number of disabled people who do not have families, or do not wish to continue to live with their families, or indeed whose families are not prepared to accept them at home. Despite the development of some care-attendant schemes and the Community Service Volunteers (CSV) ‘One-to-One’ project, when this situation occurs the only option often available to the disabled person is residential care:

In Great Britain we have a habit of providing for ‘difficult’ minority groups in segregate institutions and those suffering traumatic tetraplegia are no exception. It is a tradition which has roots in the Poor Law and which comes down to us today virtually unchanged. Only rarely can someone who depends heavily on others for personal help, and who for some reason does not have the support of — or wishes to live independently of — his or her family, find an alternative system of accommodation and care.

(Davis, in Brechin et al., 1981, p. 322)