Face of Nation International : Health and disability organisations are calling on all state and territory governments to make sure people living with intellectual disabilities aren’t overlooked during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Toowoomba mother Toni Mitchell and her son Joshy, 20, haven’t always found navigating the nation’s health system easy. As the number of coronavirus infections climbed, she’s worried that could get worse. “We have a lot of experience with the health system where Joshy has been left and not treated,” she said. “We’ve sat in emergency rooms and watch them empty three times over with them still not caring for Joshy because he’s been too complex and too hard.”
Joshy lives with Down syndrome, autism and other complex health conditions. His mother said if he contracted the virus, it could be fatal. “He has a very low immune system and complex health conditions so he would have no capacity to fight this at all,” she said.
“I wouldn’t be able to be with him so he wouldn’t have anyone with him who he knew or who could communicate for him, who could advocate for him.” Australian governments are being asked to create a targeted strategy, not unlike one given to the aged-care sector during a pandemic, for people with intellectual disabilities. Julian Troller, a neuropsychiatrist from the University of New South Wales (UNSW) specialising in developmental disability, has written a “position statement” calling for a suite of protection measures.
t’s so far been endorsed by 500 health and disability organisations including by the President of the Royal Australasian College of Physicians. “We need to think very carefully about minimising staff turnover and contacts with people who are vulnerable,” Professor Troller said. (Source: ABC News – Australia)
