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As you are now aware of the closure of the three remaining centres, the families want the
media to know the truth about this move. This web-site is specific to the Orillia Huronia
Regional Centre, but the facts do extend to the others being forced to close.
The media section of this web-site is for the benefit of the media to quickly get to the facts
and issues at hand with the closure of the 3 remaining facilities. You are invited to look at
sections of this web-site to get a more personal view of the impact to families.
Huronia centre is a centre of excellence for the severely mentally disabled. Back in the
1970’s, this centre has transformed from an ‘institutional’ style of care to what it is today,
which is a caring, loving, community driven home, specialized in the care of the severely
mentally disabled.
Most of the residents at HRC for over 30 years, have lived, enjoyed and grown up in this
place they know as home.
Some of the residents have come from community living, as the severity of the disability
needs could be met in the realms of community living. For these individuals, community
living was a nightmare, where they have been moved from home to home, each move
failing to provide the necessities for these individuals. Community living gave up on these
people. Within a year of being at HRC, these individuals start to thrive.
Some of the current residents were moved out of HRC, under the government's 25 year
plan to remove the institutions. The so-called better community living proposed by the
government had to returned these individuals to HRC, as community living could not handle
their needs . Once again, upon returning to HRC, these individuals started to thrive.
We have also learned that some individuals that did not make it back to HRC, and died
unnecessarily under community living.
Huronia centre has very specialized staff, including doctors, dentists, physiologist, social
workers, specialized trained caregivers and much more that are accessible to all the
residences. The homes of the residence are like yours, they have large living rooms,
bedrooms and kitchens. The grounds are enormous, safe and beautiful, filled with
walkways and trees. Some of the activities for these special people include, picnics,
bowling, swimming, camping, boating and much more.
Special programs for the severely mentally disabled have been developed and designed by
a team of experts – this expertise and programs cannot be found in the community home.
Most of the individuals here, do not have the abilities beyond 2 year old. They have severe
brain damage. They are not capable of doing remedial jobs, or getting married like Sandra
Pupatello has incorrectly compared HRC to the accomplishments of community living.
I encourage you to view the slide show to get a quick appreciation of the gravity of this
situation, the hard cold facts, and a look at the individuals directly impacted by this move,
their home, there community, the activities that these individuals look forward, the support
services they have had for over 30 years, in some cases over 50 years. Please remember
when viewing the slide show that this is a lifetime that these individuals have been at HRC,
This is the only home they know and trust and are safe and is being torn away from them.
They have had no choice, nor have the families and parents had a choice or say in this
move.
Once you have gone through the slide show, I urge you to read the letter to the media and
our urgent plead for your help. While you are reading this letter, keep in mind that the
parents of these children are in the later years. They do not know how long that they will be
around, 1 year, maybe 5, or 10 years. They are deeply concern about who is going to look
after their child now and in the near future when they are no longer around. You see at
HRC we do not have to worry, they have provided excellent care and understand the needs
of these individuals as they age. But now they are being thrown into new homes, home
caregivers that do not know them, that do not have the needs or backgrounds to serve
them appropriately. What a terrible way to be facing your last years, knowing that your child’
s life will be one of suffering. This move is cruel to the individuals being forced from their
homes for over 30 years and cruel to the families who have to watch them suffer
needlessly, and not being able to help or explain to them why and then watch them suffer
till they die.
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