We are seen as objects, not as subjects, as a burden to our families and not as contributors. As one of the results of this view of persons with disabilities, there is a growing tendency in this country to commit us to institutions. In light of the recent publicity around sexual abuse of residents in institutions in Costa Rica one might well wonder whether this is really the best way of growing up for children, whether institutions are really the best places for old persons to spend their last years. For some disabled persons one of the biggest obstacles to staying with their families is that they need personal assistance in their daily lives, for example, with getting up in the morning, getting dressed, going to the toilet, with eating or getting around town. Often, a paid worker who comes to the house of the family to provide these services for a number of hours each day would be all that is needed in order to keep the disabled family member out of an institution.
Personal assistance costs money, but so does running an institution.
Often the institution owns its land and buildings which together represent a significant capital. This annual amount would surely be more than sufficient to enable a family to buy assistive devices such as wheelchairs, to make adaptations to the house such as adding ramps or another room, to provide transportation to the school, pay for other services such as physical therapy and, most importantly, to cover the salaries of one or two domestic workers who would provide the personal assistance. The task then seems to be to design services which support persons with disabilities of all ages to stay and live in the community. Yet in most countries the importance of the family as a form of social insurance is declining. As the extended family gradually disappears with industrialization and the labor market's demand on geographical mobility, as divorce rates go up and single parents become increasingly common, the ability of the family to provide mutual aid in everyday life is diminishing.