Seeing beyond the Curtain

It is 10:00 pm and Nick, mom, and I just walked in the door from our trip to the Capital in Madison today. It was an absolutely exhausting day, and yet incredibly empowering as well; this is why I simply could not resist sharing with everyone what I learned today.

As some of you know, Wisconsin offers a program for the elderly and disabled residents which provides long term care in a self-directed manner. This program has proved to be highly successful and I have watched, first hand, the benefits it can provide participants. Because of IRIS (Include, Respect, I Self-Direct), Nick has been able to participate in many activities in the community. He has been able to choose his own staff and have transportation when other family members were unable to drive him places. Most importantly, he has been able to live at home with his family & animals on the ranch he loves so dearly.

But now, with Walker's proposed budget cuts, the entire program is in jeopardy of becoming completely eradicated. The information regarding what will replace the non-profit program is very unclear. However, there has been talk of Insurance companies aligning with the state government to turn the not-for-profit into a for-profit operation. An option,such as this,will cost more money in tax payer dollars while quality care is decreased. The largest question for many is why a successful program that is currently saving tax payer dollars by keeping participants in the home (instead of expensive nursing/group homes) even belongs in the budget cut proposal. These are huge concerns for the disabled and elderly community and questions that remain unanswered even after our trip the capital today (Boulton 1)!

IRIS is a very sought after program because it encourages participants to "Self-direct" or make decisions that best suit their lifestyle and needs. Today, I witnessed a young adult with cerebral palsy crying with the thought of having to return to a nursing home. I witnessed physically disabled individuals dealing with the emotional distress that they may lose ALL (or what little support they receive) when the proposal goes through. I heard stories of people from all walks of life. How are these people supposed to work to support themselves and receive the care they need?  What will happen to these people and their quality of life? The same cry was echoed through the capital from IRIS participants, family members, and advocates alike stating how IRIS has improved the quality of life [of participants] by providing an independence that has never been experienced before with any other program. Many of us take for granted our ability to choose when we get up in the morning, what we do that day, when we eat, and when we will go to bed. Not all people have this option, especially those requiring care. IRIS provides people with the ability to make these sorts of decisions for themselves. Can you imagine how empowering this must feel!?

After a long day of meetings with senators and legislative representatives, many questions have yet to be answered. The grey areas are vast and only one thing is clear; the budget cut currently proposes that the IRIS program will become obsolete. That is the one true fact we have been given. After spending a day speaking with Senators, I have realized how uninformed many of them are on the negative impacts the removal of this program will have on thousands of people’s lives (Survival Coalition). It is our job, as people with voices, to STAND UP and help those who do not. We can do this by writing letters to our senators, governor, and newspapers. We need to inform the people of Wisconsin that our most vulnerable people are being threatened. Remember these unique individuals did not choose this life, but it was the life they were given. Together, we can create a loud enough voice that the Capital simply cannot ignore.

Please comment below or contact me for more information.

Sources Cited:

Boulton, Guy. "Gov. Walker Proposes Overhaul of Wisconsin's Long-term Care Program." Milwaukee Wisconsin Journal Sentinel (2015): n. pag. Web. 17 Mar. 2015. <http://www.jsonline.com/business/gov-walker-proposes-overhaul-of-wisconsins-long-term-care-program-b99453054z1-295281591.html>.

Survival Coalition. Survival Coalition Press Release. Madison: 13 March. 2015. Print. http://www.survivalcoalitionwi.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/Disability-Advocacy-Day-Presser.pdf