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14 December 2004-12-14
Ms. Myra Wiener, Director
Developmental Services Branch
Ministry of Community and Social Services
6th Floor, Hepburn Block
80 Grovenor Street
Toronto, Ontario
M7A 1E9
Dear Ms. Wiener:
RE: SERVICES IN ONTARIO FOR DEVELOPMENTALLY DISABLED
With respect to your Discussion Paper, I feel the points raised are well thought out and carefully planned.
There is no doubt that the majority of families of the mentally disabled will benefit from your plan and will
be most appreciative. However, not once while reading the Discussion Paper did I associate your plan
with my sister, who is severely mentally disabled. My sister, Frances Ventola, is quite a different case than
that portrayed in your report.\
Frances is 48 years old and has been a resident of Huronia Regional Centre in Orillia for the past 44 years,
with the exception of a 2 year period spent as a resident of Oaklands Regional Centre in Oakville. She is
as severely mentally handicapped as one could possibly imagine, functioning at a one-year level. She
does not speak or communicate in any way. She forms no bonds or attachments to people or objects. She
does not watch T.V. or participate in any other activities, workshops or excursions. She is happy to sit in a
corner for hours on end. Day and night are the same to her as she “cat-naps” throughout. Frances is
spoon-fed by her staff since they are afraid she may choke on her food. She is unaware of personal
hygiene or clothing, sometimes choosing to remove her clothes in public. She requires 24-hour care with
awake staff at night. Although never violent, she has incredible strength and can be extremely stubborn,
refusing to perform the simplest of day-to-day tasks. She refuses to sleep in a bed choosing instead to
curl up on a small rubber bench. She refuses to wear undergarments and for the past 5 years has refused
to wear shoes of any kind. Frances becomes extremely distraught with ANY change to her routine. While
visiting her this week, we found the room where we usually feed her lunch was being used for another
purpose. She became very upset and agitated, and nearly impossible to control. No amount of
encouragement or bribery was enough to get her to enter another room for lunch.
- 2 –
During her two-year stay at Oaklands Regional Centre, Frances was expected to contribute to the chores
within her residence as well as participating in various activities. She was expected to make her bed, set
the table, help with laundry, brush her teeth, etc., all of which are far beyond her abilities. Her refusal to
do so resulted in her being placed in a padded room. I remember my mother commenting at the time that
if Frances were able to do all that was being asked of her, we’d be able to have her live at home with no
need of assistance. The enormity of the situation, coupled with her unfamiliar surroundings, soon proved
to be too much for her. She became very depressed and had to be hospitalized for the majority of her two-
year stay there. For months, she did nothing but lay in bed refusing to eat. Although as her family, we
were excited to have her located to much closer to home, it was very clear that it would be in Frances’
best interest to have her returned to HRC in Orillia. Thankfully, HRC was happy to have her back and
within a very short time Frances was flourishing.
Thus, in response to your question of what society’s role and responsibility should be in supporting
individuals with a mental disability, I strongly feel that first and foremost we must recognize and accept the
range in the individual’s ability to function within society. We must accept that a small number of these
individuals have severe limitations and will NEVER be able to cope with being integrated within the
community. We must accept that they are already within their community, and very happy.
Your Vision, that “all individuals with intellectual disabilities be allowed to participate in all aspects of
society”, although commendable, cannot be applied to the severely disabled. To suggest that individuals
such as my sister be allowed to “attend family functions”, “share personal talents” and be integrated into
the school system and workforce is simply ludicrous. Frankly, she doesn’t even realize she has a name.
As her family we are concerned for her well being should she be moved from HRC. If eating lunch in a
different room causes her such turmoil, I cannot imagine re-locating her altogether.
With her inability to form bonds or friendships, it is very clear that Frances’ ONLY source of comfort comes
from her familiar surroundings. As her family, we urge you to reconsider closing HRC and to look at the
lives of these individuals through their eyes.
Yours truly,
Toni M. Jeffrey