Without a net

It's the conundrum no one wants to think about. Which is harder: Losing your beloved child, or knowing that outliving you (as our children are designed to do) places their quality of life in unthinkable jeopardy? Jacquielynn Floyd, a Metro columnist at The Dallas Morning News, shines some light on the desperation parents face as their disabled children age.

Donald Zriny, the parent referenced in the piece, took actions I can't conceive of or condone.  I worry about how many others like his daughter Amanda – characterized as "well-taken care of" and with parents who are "able to intuit or anticipate her needs" – will suffer as she did. Young adults with autism have a far lower rate of independent living than their peers with other disabilities, and their parents are often left staring at a void where services and supports should be.

How can we prevent more parents from making such a terrible choice? With a much better safety net than this family had. The best solutions will likely be generated by caregivers. The time to plan is now.