Willingness to help, or just bidding with disabled people?

 The problem of adults with disabilities in Poland has been neglected for many years. Poland was governed by various political parties but none of them has even tried to solve it in a comprehensive and wise manner. 

At present, an adult disabled person, unable to live independently, receives a social pension in the amount of 745 PLN and a care supplement in the amount of 153 PLN, which together gives the amount of less than 900 PLN per month. Considering the fact that we need medicines, physiotherapy, and often 24-hour care and assistance from other people, this amount is simply ridiculous. With such a pension in a wallet, we are fated to stay under the care of parents, family, relatives or nursing homes. For obvious reasons, none of us wishes to stay in such a place but the interesting thing is that there’s always money for a nursing home. 

A resident of such a home pays not more than 70% of his income, the rest is paid by children, parents or a spouse, provided that their income is higher than 1542 PLN (300% income criterion) per person in the family or 1902 PLN per person living alone. If the family and pensioner's income is lower - the commune, which directs the person to the nursing home, pays the missing amount. 

There are about 900 nursing homes in Poland, only a small percentage of them have their monthly costs of stay lower than 3,000 PLN. On average, it is 3.5-4 thousand PLN. For example, a stay in the nursing home in Uhowo, which can get also the residents of Michałów, costs 3121 PLN a month. In Czerewki (commune of Juchnowiec Kościelny) it is 3578 PLN.

To sum up, for the stay of a disabled person in a nursing home, which is after all, a last resort - a commune, so we, the taxpayers often have to pay extra 3000 PLN monthly.

On April 18, a protest of parents and caregivers of people with disabilities began in the Polish Parliament. They are demanding a physiotherapy supplement of 500 PLN granted to people over 18 and regardless of the family income, as well as the increase in social pension to the level of the lowest pension from ZUS (Social Insurance Institution).

The publicity of the matter caused the protesters were visited by the President, the Prime Minister and the Minister of Family, Labor and the Social Policy. Theoretically, everyone understands the very difficult situation of people with disabilities, but when it comes down to it - money is usually missing. The ruling party prides itself on its 500+ program* and the defense of conceived life but it also bids with the disabled to spend as little as possible and silence the matter.    

On 24 April, the government announced with pride an agreement and the fulfillment of one of the postulates, just as it turned out later, signed without the occupying disabled people and their caregivers. For me personally, this clear government action aims to divide the community of people with disabilities who agree to half-solve the problem and those who really protest. You do not need to explain to anyone that the divided enemy is weaker than the one consolidated in action.    

On April 27, the government offered easier access to doctors and purchasing medicines at pharmacies without queues. Physiotherapy treatments and medical commodities, e.g. diaper-pants. It was supposed to be material help, which would exceed even 500 PLN a month, but this was, of course, only government propaganda. The protesters did not agree to this form of help. For my part, I would like to add that such material aid is used, for example, in pathological families. Then, instead of cash, which could be spent for example on alcohol, dinners or food purchases are financed. Disabled people are not pathology. We are responsible and we know best how to allocate the received funds. I am offended by such a solution.  

The rallies of support for the protesters and subsequent meetings with politicians were still giving hope for a prompt solution to the problem. Unfortunately, the agreement was still not there. A group of a dozen or so caregivers and people with disabilities were forced to spend the long May weekend on the parliamentary corridor. It's so easy to say or write, but each of you should try to imagine spending this beautiful sunny May day on a mattress on the floor.    

Politicians of the ruling party claim that the demands of people with disabilities are too high, and they have already done so much in this matter. In order to have a broader view of the situation of people with disabilities in other countries, I asked Mr Zbigniew Graczyk, a citizen of Sweden, to present the situation in that country. I recommend his YouTube channel "Rullaman", in which, despite his disability, he travels all over the world.    

- Here it looks like this. You can get a kind of pension about 6-7 thousand Swedish crowns (590 - 685 euros - ed.) additionally you can get up to 2.5 thousand crowns (245 euros - red.) of the supplement for the increased costs of living related to disability. Besides, if someone does not work, he/she has a payment to the flat. - explains Mr. Graczyk and adds – the equipment such like beds, lifters, wheelchairs are for free from the city. For a power wheelchair you pay only 500 crowns a year for its service. But in all this, the most important thing is that the state employs and pays for personal assistants. The number of hours per day depends on the individual needs and it can be even 24 hours a day.    

As you can see, in comparison to Sweden, the demands of people with disabilities in Poland are very meager and probably I will not live to see the day, when there will be similar help from my country.    I would like to thank all the protesters in my name. You have raised the problem that should have been solved a long time ago. I keep my fingers crossed for you because I know that you are not just fighting for a better tomorrow for yourself but also for all of us. I wish you a lot of strength and determination in pursuing the rightful goal.   

*500+ program - a state program implemented in Poland since 1 April 2016, designed to help families raise their children through monthly childcare supplement for the second and each subsequent child in the family in the amount of 500 PLN.