Disability Access News

ABC News

Advocacy Tasmania says the plight of a Hobart couple struggling to care for an intellectually disabled son is indicative of a much wider problem in disability services.

Joy and Graeme Cairns have been trying to get government-funded residential care for their 33-year-old son since late last year, when Mr Cairns was diagnosed with a degenerative brain disease.

They have now put their house on the market, in the hope a disability organisation will buy it and care for their son at home.

Rebecca Thompson from Advocacy Tasmania says there are about 300 families in the same boat.

"Sadly they don't have very many options," Ms Thompson said.

"The only alternatives have been offered at times are a nursing home for young people which is totally inappropriate or sometimes the family member with a disability has to go into a respite bed permanently until a respite bed is found."

Mrs Cairns says they've been trying to get government funded residential care since last August, and they hope selling their home will provide a solution.

"Laurie would receive the care that his family would have given him, the organisation would in turn receive an asset," Mrs Cairns said.

"It would become theirs to do with as they wish as long as our child was cared for too and we were hoping that he would be able to remain in his own home."

The State Government says it's aware of the unmet need and believes additional funds from the recent Federal Budget will help ease the pressure.