When Peter Farrah moved into a long term care centre, his parents thought it would be for a year or two at the most.
Twelve years later, Farrah, who has a severe form of epilepsy that’s led to developmental delays, is still there.
At age 33, he’s an odd man out in a facility that caters mostly to frail seniors. He said it’s taking a toll on his mental health.
“I sort of get stressed out about being here, and one time I got into an angry fit,” said Farrah, clearly battling exhaustion from a seizure that afternoon and a foot injury from a seizure-induced fall the previous day.
“I sort of wanted to scream and yell, like in a panic. And there have been times when I didn’t want to enter the place anymore.”
Peter’s parents, Rick and Sue Farrah, were exhausted trying to care for him so they turned to long-term care after a long and fruitless search for other supportive housing options in the community.
At 21, Peter was also yearning for some independence from his parents. Granite Ridge was a new long-term care facility that offered the promise of respite for everyone while they planned for the future, ideally finding a new home with younger roommates. Instead, like many adults with developmental disabilities, Peter is waiting for a group home to materialize that can accommodate his medical needs as well as help him along in his journey to live more independently.
