Planning for Future Support

Hi All,

If you are caring for a son/daughter over the age of 35 and are concerned about planning for their future needs and would like support with this, please contact me on 087 4211345.

Also if you know a neighbour or a relative with DS that may not be a member of DSG or receive emails, please pass this on.

Helena the National Adult Advocacy Officer with DSI and myself want to find out what supports parents/carers of persons with Down syndrome need as they age.

All the details are on the letter attached, please read and get back to me.

We look forward to your feedback.

Kind Regards,

Maura Dolan

Galway Regional Resource Officer

Email: Maura.Dolan@downsyndrome.ie

Phone: 0874211345

Website: www.downsyndromegalway.ie

Additional Information – Planning for Future Support

Dear members,

We received grant money from the community and voluntary fund for a project in relation to ‘planning for the future’ needs of carers and their aging adult children. We outlined in our application that we wanted to find out what supports parents/carers of persons with Down syndrome need as they age.

This will then be followed by a series of ‘planning for the future sessions’ where we plan to invite different agencies/professionals to provide information and answer questions. We will also be informing the HSE about what supports you feel are needed as your family member with Down syndrome ages to help them develop appropriate supports.

We had planned to invite any parents/carers who are caring for adults with Down syndrome over the age of 35 to a coffee morning where you were going to be able to meet with myself and our Adult Advocacy Officer Helena Connors. It was planned that on this morning you were going to be asked to fill in a short questionnaire and then you could have the opportunity to talk with us about your concerns/fears/needs for the future. This was so we could then tailor our ‘planning for the future sessions’ around your needs.

The recent developments with the corona virus meant we had to cancel our plans to hold a coffee morning. However, we want to press ahead with finding out what your future planning needs/concerns are as carers and with that in mind we are asking the following:

If you are caring for a son/daughter over the age of 35 and are concerned about planning for their future needs and would like support with this, please contact me on 0874211345 and I will ask you a series of questions over the phone and listen to any other concerns/needs you have in relation to this.

Helena the National Adult Advocacy Officer and I will then collate the information we receive and make plans for organising the ‘planning for the future sessions’. Then hopefully in time when restrictions are lifted, we can press ahead with our sessions. I look forward to hearing from you.