Foray into an intermediate resource | Christmas, Félix’s passion

Foray into an intermediate resource that plays a decisive role in the lives of its residents

Geneviève Perras swears that she has “the best job in the world”.

When the co-owner of two intermediate residences (RI) tells us this, one of the residents screams in the bathroom.

The person responsible for changing his underwear ends up coming out out of breath, with beads of sweat beading on his forehead. We understand that a drop of soap in the eye triggered enormous anger.

We are in a duplex located in the east of Montreal where eight autistic and intellectually disabled men with severe behavioral disorders live.

A huge Omnikin inflatable ball sits in the center of the dining room. Responders can put the ball between themselves and a violent resident. Thus, it is the object, and not the speaker, who absorbs the blows.

“The best job in the world”, really?

M^me Perras presents Félix, 31, to prove it.

When he arrived two years ago, the young autistic person who lives with a moderate to severe intellectual disability had repeated seizures. At every meal, he attacked other residents.

As soon as a speaker turned his back, Félix grabbed him violently to attract his attention. “My team said: we won’t be able to keep him,” says M^me Perras, co-owner of Léger and Desautels resources with Valérie Coombs.

But for these two trained specialist educators, there is no question of sending Félix to the psychiatric hospital or to a continuing assistance residence (RAC) without having tried everything. He came from a RAC where he was very unhappy. He had been waiting for two years to obtain accommodation more suited to his needs.

“It’s rougher, the RACs,” says Félix’s mother, Suzie Coutu. “Staff turnover there is terrible. The cases are very serious. Everything is screwed to the ground because of the violence of the residents. »

And coming home full time was too dangerous. “Let’s say that at the time when Félix was not well, I was afraid for my safety,” describes the mother, separated from her son’s father. The young man physically attacked her more than once.

In addition, in his last RAC, the workers prohibited the young man from any physical contact with others. They kept telling him: “No, Félix, we don’t touch each other” even though the young autistic child needs human contact. “You wouldn't ask a daycare teacher not to hold a child in her arms,” her mother emphasizes.

At the RAC or in the hospital, Félix felt rejected; which worsened his behavioral problems. He also had to follow a military routine. He was required to have “solo” times during the day.

Félix needs “to be with the world”, the co-owners of the RI understood. They made his schedule more flexible and eliminated the time he had to spend time alone. They take Félix's hands when they talk with him.

Christmas: a passion all year round

The young man has two passions in life: Disney and Pixar characters – he imitates 800 of them – and… Christmas. “Félix starts talking about Christmas in August,” says his father, Claude Castonguay, with a lot of affection in his voice.

Except that the anticipation and excitement surrounding the big day can also be problematic. Last year, during the month of December, there was not a themed activity every day. “Our Advent calendar had holes,” says M.^me Perras. On those days, his behavior was catastrophic from morning to evening. »

We saw how quickly things can escalate during our visit, when Suzie reminded her son that he wasn't allowed to drink Coke during the week — it's his weekend reward. Felix grabbed her throat with both hands to strangle her. Several of them came together to take him away from his mother.

To avoid the multiplication of crises, this year the co-owners offered a complete Advent calendar to Félix and his “roommates”. The day of our visit, decorating the tree was on the agenda.

Resources may close

Félix's parents are full of praise for the devoted co-owners. The conversation here takes a political turn. They argue that IR is underfunded by the Quebec government.

Felix needs a “dedicated worker” (1 to 1). However, Quebec grants – with the Measure related to exceptional support or assistance services – funding below the real cost of a worker's salary.

In other words, the owners of IRs are becoming poorer with this measure.

“This is an aberrant situation in our eyes in an already difficult budgetary context,” says the director of legal and government affairs at the Association of Intermediate Accommodation Resources of Quebec, Simon Telles.

Without a dedicated worker, young people like Félix would be condemned to living in an institution, confirms M^me Coombs.

In recent years, the government has created 1,244 places in seniors' homes, underlines Mr. Telles. For the same cost, nearly 3,732 places in RI could have been created. A place in a senior center costs $992,000, compared to $317,000 for a place in RI, again according to the Association.

Without new investments or an acceleration of measures, almost half (43%) of intermediate resources risk closing within three years, according to a survey conducted by the Association. This potentially represents 8,600 places to be found elsewhere in the health and social services network.

In the meantime, Geneviève Perras and Valérie Coombs continue to operate their two IRs. With their help, Felix became much less violent than before. His parents can now take turns welcoming him on weekends.

“We managed to make a difference in Félix’s life,” says M^me Perras, proud. Hence “the best job in the world”.