'I have to fight for myself': Quadriplegic man says N.S. government told him to live in a hospital
A diving accident at 14-years-old left Brian Parker paralyzed from the chest down.
Now at age 49, he's without the person who was caring for him full-time until just last week, after his 68-year-old mother was diagnosed with breast cancer.
“I don't know how to repay her back,” says Parker, tearing up. “Now she's all on her own, and I have to fight for myself.”
Parker's brother has stepped in, but only for so long, as he’s juggling other family needs and his job.
Parker, who has a degree in computer programming, has been unable to work and is on social assistance.
After his mother couldn’t take care of him anymore, he turned to government for help, but says he was told there is only one option.
“To throw me in a hospital bed, bed to bed,” he says, “That's not right, not right at all.”
Parker doesn’t want to live in a hospital, but in his own apartment, with the help of a full-time caregiver.
He can't afford private care and needs more hours of care than programs like the VON can provide.
“It sounds all too familiar,” says disability advocate Vicky Levack.
That's because a decade ago, she was given a similar option.
At 21 years old, Levack was sent to live in a long-term care home alongside the elderly.
Ever since, she has fought for those with disabilities in Nova Scotia to be given the choice to live where they want and get the care they need.
“We say we're going to be an accessible Nova Scotia by 2030, which means having everybody on the same playing field, regardless of disability status,” she says, “and this shows me that they haven't done enough.”
In 2019, the province’s Human Rights Commission Board of Inquiry found the province discriminated against three people with disabilities, finding they were living in a psychiatric hospital unnecessarily.
On Sunday, the Department of Community Services offered a statement in response to Parker’s story.
“We know the important role of family members and caregivers...and that any change in that support system would be difficult,” writes department communications advisor Christine Deveau. “While the Department of Community Services cannot comment on individual cases, there are several options available through the disability support program, depending on the level of supports that someone needs."
The statement cites the Independent Living Support Program, which had its cap removed earlier this year to allow more candidates to qualify.
Deveau adds the Department of Seniors and Long-Term Care may also be able to assist.
But Parker says he's been told there's no beds in long-term care, although he wouldn’t want to live in such an institution, even if there was.
“For me, a nursing home is a place you go before you die,” he says, “And I can’t do that. I’m 49 years old. It’s gonna kill me in the end.”
Before his situation changed, Parker says he was planning to go back to university to pursue a law degree. Now, he’s not sure what to do, and believes the province should have more options for Nova Scotians in similar situations.
“There should be immediate emergency funds there to take care of drastic situations,” he says.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Spring allergy season has begun. Where is it worse in Canada?
The spring allergy season has started early in many parts of Canada, with high levels of pollen in some cities already. Experts weigh in on which areas have it worse so far this season.
'Nonsense:' Doug Ford slams lawsuits filed by Ontario school boards against social media platforms
Premier Doug Ford says that lawsuits launched by four Ontario school boards against a trio of social media platforms are “nonsense” and risk becoming a distraction to the work that really matters.
Several flight attendants from Pakistan have gone missing after landing in Canada
Multiple flight attendants from Pakistan International Airlines have abandoned their jobs and are believed to have sought asylum in Canada in the past year and a half, a spokesperson for the government-owned airline says.
N.B. man wins $64 million from Lotto 6/49
A New Brunswicker will go to bed Thursday night much richer than he was Wednesday after collecting on a winning lottery ticket he let sit on his bedroom dresser for nearly a year.
Multiple bridges in Calgary shut down for police incident
Calgary police have shut down a number of bridges into and out of the downtown core as officers deal with a distraught individual.
King Charles calls for acts of friendship in first public remarks since Kate's cancer diagnosis
King Charles III gave public remarks for Maundy Thursday, addressing the importance of acts of friendship, following his and Catherine, Princess of Wales’ cancer diagnoses.
Fallen crypto mogul Sam Bankman-Fried sentenced to 25 years in prison
Crypto entrepreneur Sam Bankman-Fried was sentenced Thursday to 25 years in prison for a massive fraud that unravelled with the collapse of FTX, once one of the world's most popular platforms for exchanging digital currency.
A dog and a bird formed an unlikely friendship. Their separation has infuriated followers
Peggy is a stout and muscular Staffordshire bull terrier, and Molly is a magpie, an Australian bird best known for swooping on humans during breeding season, not for befriending dogs. But in an emotional video posted online, Peggy’s owners announced that the animals had been separated.
Tipping is off the table at this Toronto restaurant
A Toronto restaurant introduced a surprising new rule that reduced the cost of a meal and raised the salaries of staff.