Two families in the Calgary area say the health care system has let them down.
Nathaniel Coulas was born with downs syndrome and also has a tracheotomy tube.
His family was receiving home care seven nights a week to help with his care but last week that changed. "They are going to eliminate all of our home care and our respite care," says Mike Coulas. "They are stopping everything as of December 10th."
Nathaniel's tracheotomy tube plugs regularly and they worry about what might happen with no nurse on site.
It's a different situation but the same reality for the Doyles who live in Cochrane.
Nancy Doyle has multiple sclerosis, has no use of her legs and limited use of her hands.
Her husband John cares for her fulltime but once a week he has to go to his Calgary office for work.
The Doyles were receiving six hours of respite care per week but when they requested more hours of help their case was reassessed and their hours were cut in half.
Alberta Health Services says the reduction in home care services isn't a result of any belt tightening in their department.
Health officials say it is routine for patients to be reassessed for home care. If they need more home care the level goes up; if they need less home care the level goes down.
Nancy Doyle questions that explanation because she says her mobility has become even more limited not less.
The Coulas' also say their son's condition hasn't improved so they don't understand the reduction in care. "I wanted to know who decided this because nothing has changed with him, everything is the same," says Mike Coulas.
Both families say the province told them to use self-managed care. In that case the province provides funds and families hire their own caregivers. In exchange, the families become the employers and assume all responsibility for all administration and any injury on the job. The Coulas' and Doyles say the funds provided for that option aren't sufficient for the care they need.
Both families say if something doesn't change, the caregivers will be the ones who get sick and that would be a bigger cost for the health care system than the cost of respite care.
