Surely We Can Do Better For Autistic Adults

by Kristina Chew · 2009-06-22 14:25:00 UTC
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Lock and key from http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_AYtG1aBxgkI/SWwSigKqj2I/AAAAAAAAA9g/iWedJnFgt9k/s400/1.JPG
Luke deserves so much more is the headling for an article in today's HeraldSun about a 20-year-old autistic man who spends 20 hours of the day along, with food passed through a door by staff:

So bad are his symptoms that his heartbroken parents have been unable to care for him at home for the past five years.

Because of his violent tendencies, he now lives in a Department of Human Services residential property.

He shuns human contact and even his carers are frightened to be in the same room with him.

While Luke's parents, Mark and Ellen Modra, acknowledge that they are not able to take care of him, they make it very clear, the current circumstances that the Department of Human Services---"Human"???---has provided for their son is woefully inadequate (understatement).

"When Luke goes out, he has to walk through a specially designed cage so he and his carers never share the same space," his father said.

Even DHS insiders, who asked not to be named, said Luke's carers were unable to handle him.

"They are really good at keeping him in isolation," a source said.

His carers say they can't be in the same room as the strong young man because he can be violent. Luke's family admits he is no angel, but says he deserves better.

"There has to be a better, more humane way to deal with people with severe autism rather than just locking them up and throwing away the key," Mrs Modra said.

And while Luke's situation is something more than extreme, Mrs. Modra's words ring true: How often are autistic individuals segregated from others ("society") and left, and the "key"---education, a way to communicate, other people, and more---thrown away?

Kristina Chew
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