WATCH ABOVE: A Surrey woman says she’s being kicked out of her assisted living facility by the end of the month, but can’t go home even though her house is fully renovated to meet her needs. Jennifer Palma has the details.
VANCOUVER – Life has been a series of challenges for 33-year-old Cristina Singh.
When she was nine she suffered a life-threatening bout of spinal meningitis. It took her years to be able to walk again, but she did it, only to live through a 2004 house fire that burned 85 per cent of her body.
Two years later, just when she began to get her mobility back, she was hit by a car.
“I’ve been struggling to regain my strength, to be more mobile, to live at home and have a quality of life but lack the fund of home support,” said Singh.
The dream of coming home is something that has never left Cristina. For the past few years she’s been in a Surrey assisted-living facility, but her doctor said she could return home as long as certain renovations were made.
It took two years and just under $90,000 to make those changes, but they have now been completed.
She was hoping to come home this Thanksgiving weekend.
“Because I don’t feel like myself when I’m in an institution and when I’m at home I feel like myself,” said Singh.
However, there is a problem. Singh does not have a home support worker in place to help her take care of herself and her single mom can’t do it since she has her own health issues to deal with.
“There’s limited things I can do for her but not everything,” said Jai Singh. “Like showering, changing all the time, to be available for her all the time. I need my rest too because I have a severe condition.”
But according to Fraser Health, a home support worker has been offered.
In a statement to Global News, officials said they can confirm Cristina has been offered health services from Fraser Health including nursing, physiotherapy, occupational therapy, dietitian and dental hygiene. And they are continuing to reach out to her.
However, Singh said she has not been offered the kind of care she needs and she’s been asked to leave her assisted living home by the end of the month.
Singh’s family was hoping to give thanks this weekend by having Cristina home but now they are hoping they can get her the help she needs by the end of the month.
– With files from Jennifer Palma
Comments