(left to right) Anna Rose Fricker, Vic Stutsky and Julie Armitage discuss the issues faced by senior parents of children with developmental disabilities.

Senior parents’ group lays out the welcome
By Greta Cooper, CLBC Team Assistant

What happens to my son or daughter if something happened to me? A valid question, and for those who have adult children with developmental disabilities living at home, it takes on different proportions.

Clutching his cane, 85-year-old Vic Stutsky has been widowed for barely a year. Maureen, his 65-year-old daughter, lives with him and is his sole responsibility.   Stutsky credits his late wife Fern, a true blue advocate in the field  of developmental disabilities, for making all the decisions while he generally worked away from home.

Then suddenly he was thrown into the position of being sole decision maker and was lucky enough to attend a senior parent’s group  in Vernon.

“I’m sure glad Julie dragged me out,” he says.

Hired through a Community Living BC innovation grant, and hosted by Kindale Developmental Association, Julie Armitage is a family resource developer who is phenomenal in her role.

One of her aims is to find out what issues senior parents are facing and identify where the gaps are in support.

One area is caregiver sustainability,   “A lot are getting burnt out and tired,“ she says.  

This seniors’ group is working on a resource guide based on shared information and experience, but  Armitage said the major focus will be to see that families have a plan in place or a “life book” as it’s called.

“In the event of a crisis or emergency we’re not all scrambling to figure out who’s going where, what’s going to happen,” says Julie. 

Stutsky feels some relief now that he has some options, but he’s not going to hurry into anything.

Over the years the main contact for his family was CLBC facilitator Phil Kowalski who recently retired. Vic said it was comforting to call Phil or have him over to their home. Now their file has been turned over to a new facilitator and they’re starting all over again and doing it differently.

The history of this seniors’ group model began with Kowalski, Johanna Burko and a few other dedicated people who realized the need for plans and support. Rena Ludwig has now stepped into Phil’s  role and said she’s there to support and cheer Julie on.

“People really connect with her. She has so much energy, is so focused and is putting everything into this project,” says Rena.

Senior parents in Enderby, Lumby, Cherryville, Armstrong, Vernon, Revelstoke, Falkland and Oyama are encouraged to call Armitage even if they are receiving CLBC services.

“If you can help one family get their plan in place so that they are reassured that everything is going to be okay and their family member is going to be looked after, I think that’s important,” says Julie.

Being part of a group allows people to share experiences and get ideas from others on what’s working and what’s not.

“You make connections with people that carry through for a lifetime.”

For more information about this group, please contact Julie at 250-307-5216.