Support Phillip's Specialized Care Home

Help us pay for a care home for our handicapped son Phillip.

Our son Phillip (youngest of four) is 28 years old. His mother and I cared for him in our home up to last year, but we are getting too old to lift him anymore and his medical needs have also gotten more complicated, so he is now in a specialized care home for individuals like him.

Phillip was born with a triple diagnosis of cerebral palsy, autism, and scoliosis. He is non-verbal and intellectually impaired. Due to other complications, he has also always had digestive problems which have led to his having a G-tube feeding apparatus installed in his abdomen. He was once able to walk, but is now mostly wheelchair confined though he can crawl and roll around still. Cerebral palsy is a progressive condition which causes loss of more motor skills (including bodily functions) in adulthood.

His mother and I were his only caretakers for 27 years, and while we treasure every minute, Phillip is a challenging person to fit into the educational and medical institutions of the US. Since he is non-verbal, he is an enigma wrapped in a mystery. What does he think? How does he feel? He has limited communication (cries, grunts, and squeals) to express himself. However, he is still full of laughter and makes friends wherever he goes.

Our need is to pay for his care home and some extra to provide him with whatever comforts he can appreciate. We are in debt to the care home currently (they have been willing to work with us), and we are in financial straits ourselves. When we moved Phillip into his new home to see to it that he has professional medical oversight, we ended up supporting two households: Ours and the care home, where we have to pay his share of rent and utilities. Of course he gets federal assistance but it's not nearly enough.

We have never reached out for help before, and were it not for the current economic climate, we wouldn't be now.

Once we get the care home paid off (we're four-figures behind right now), we would like to put the rest towards his continued expenses, and perhaps even leave him a nest egg to live off should he outlive us.

Despite the considerable burden of his condition, Phillip greets each day with a smile, loves everybody he's ever met, and takes delight in music, TV shows, trips to the park and lake, and interacting with people. His caretakers are trilled to have him around, even if he's behind on bills. The world doesn't expect a person like Phillip and makes few places for him, but Phillip makes every place his own.

Thank you all for your kindness and support!