Don’t Forget About the Special Needs Adults

ali

I’ve heard people refer to special needs kids as the “forgotten ones” during this global pandemic. 

They cannot do virtual school, computers don’t make sense to them. 

School is school and home is home. 

You don’t do home at school, and you definitely don’t do school at home.

Toddlers with special needs desperately need the social skills and therapies in order to learn, or in some cases learn how to learn.

Older students desperately need vocational and daily living skills in order to be ready to leave school. These things just can’t be adequately taught through a screen.

I am not blaming teachers. Not even a little. 

They are overwhelmed, overworked and didn’t sign up for distance learning either. There is no doubt that they are doing their very best to serve their students.

But, there is another group of special needs people who barely get a mention even in the special needs community. 

Special needs adults. 

When school stopped last March, so did most vocational and day services for adults with special needs in our state. Even when the schools opened up however briefly, adult services, at least in much of Minnesota did not.

Many never will in the same way.

My daughter, Ali, falls into this black hole. She is almost 21 and has been home since March. 

All day, every day. 

She has too many special needs to be able to work in the community unsupervised. But not enough to qualify to stay in school later than 18. She graduated, gave her a diploma and wished her luck.

With very little suppor, we managed to find a combination work/day service that was perfect for her needs. We had a glorious 6ish months, and then nobody’s friend Corona happened, and the whole world shut down.  

We were advised in December that due to a lack of funding and decreased contributions due to the pandemic, they will not be able to operate in the same way going forward. 

We have heard very little since. 

They are running a virtual program of sorts for 2 hours a day but that’s not something that can go on forever without funding either.  

I remember being 21. 

I was living my best life…working a lot, but having a lot of fun too. I knew all there was to know about life, and wanted to live every moment to the fullest. Living away from my parents and loving my independence. In fact, I was just about to head overseas to live for 6 months in the castle that the first Harry Potter movie was filmed at (although many years after I was there). 

I was having fun and making memories.  

My girl is stuck at home. 

She has the same tendency as I do to be overscheduled. She wants to work all day and do sports and activities at night. In her perfect world, she would be busy from the moment she wakes up until her head hits the pillow at night.

My heart breaks for all the memories she is missing out on. 

But she doesn’t care about college drinking parties or English castles, she just wants to go to work and see her friends.

Because she is unable to work she is our dependent for tax purposes. There is a not so neat loophole for the stimulus packages our government has passed that gives money for a taxpayer, their spouse, and dependents under age 18. 

She can’t collect the stimulus, because someone else claims her, and we don’t get the stimulus for her because she is over 18. 

People like her are forgotten. 

It’s really not the money, although who couldn’t use it right now?  It’s the fact that these are people, Americans too, and just as deserving of stimulus money as anyone else.

I sure hope that as the world opens up, somehow, some way, the forgotten special needs adults will be remembered. 

No one should be forgotten. 

Whether as individuals or as a group, these people have so much to offer the world, the country, and their communities. 

I for one will do everything in my power to ensure these people are not forgotten as the world starts to rebuild. 

I hope you will too.

Written by, Kathleen Rolloff

Kathleen is the mother of two children with special needs, and adult with severe special needs and a teen with ADHD.  She also has a physical disability of her own.  You can read about her family on her blog at River Valley Mom or her Facebook page here.

Interested in writing for Finding Cooper’s Voice? LEARN MORE

Finding Cooper’s Voice is a safe, humorous, caring and honest place where you can celebrate the unique challenges of parenting a special needs child. Because you’re never alone in the struggles you face. And once you find your people, your allies, your village….all the challenges and struggles will seem just a little bit easier. Welcome to our journey. You can also follow us on Facebook, subscribe for exclusive videos, and subscribe to our newsletter.

Avatar photo

Kate Swenson

Kate Swenson lives in Minnesota with her husband Jamie, and four children, Cooper, Sawyer, Harbor and Wynnie. Kate launched Finding Cooper's Voice from her couch while her now 11-year-old son Cooper was being diagnosed with autism. Back then it was a place to write. Today it is a living, thriving community of people who want to not only advocate for autism, but also make the world a better place for individuals with disabilities and their families. Her first book, Forever Boy, will be released, April 5, 2022.

Share this post: