Support Families with Special Needs in Palestine

The Four Homes of Mercy

Family support program

Ventilation session

Our experience during the last year

In addition to providing information, advice and emotional support to families to create a caring environment to their loved ones through phone and what'sApp we decide to make a ventilation session with families, and to know about their experience during the last year when they bringing residents back to the homes.

Halima mother said : sometimes I feel it’s a very fantastic period when my daughter have grown closed to me and engaging emotionally with her," at the beginning " But on the opposite side , it’s a very difficult period that I never complain and don’t face stress like this, for example during the first six months I never allowed any one to visit me even my sister to avoid bringing the virus to my home " I don’t care about myself" but   I am afraid and worry about my daughter to catch infection whom have low immunity. 

One of the most amazing thing happened with one day  I spent most of the day searching the key of the door and finally I found it in the door. Really I never know the importance of the four homes and the effort the employee do and the nature of care they provide to our loved ones as this year, despite my daughter admitted since 17 years  . Thanks to God for the availability of this place. 

October Report for  Support Families with Special Needs in Palestine

Thanks to the family support group you have funded, the families of our residents have been able to talk with someone who truly understands the challenges of:

     Being elderly with a bad back, having to change, and frequently reposition your son who is bigger than you are.

     How to comfort your young daughter when neighborhood kids tease her about her sister who sits on the porch, rocking incessantly, occasionally yelling, but unable to speak.

     Finding new ways to prepare soft food, and position your sister so she can eat it without choking

     Creating games and activities that your son can do in a wheelchair in the sitting room because the stairs make it too difficult to take him outdoors regularly.

     Convincing your severely developmentally delayed daughters always to wear masks when they go out near people.

     Coping with your child’s depression as he misses his friends, activities and the staff at the Homes.

     In addition, struggling with your own fears of the virus attacking your family, the breadwinner’s loss of income, and your own exhaustion.

Without the friendship of each other which group members have established , and the frequent support of our social worker and matron on What’sApp calls, this awful time of Covid-19 would be even worse.

Each member of the group, their famiies, and our staff want you to know how much you have helped them.

In these times of Covid, the family support group created with gifts from GlobalGiving Donors has been indespensable to our families by providing spport and breaking their senses of isolation and being overwhelmed.

As the tight closures were beginning in Mid-March, and people were ordered to shelter in place rater than go to their jobs, family members of 2/3 of our residents chose to use the opportunity to have them home and celebrate Ramadan with them for the first time for many years.  The expectation was that in May, life would 'return to normal' and the residents would return.

Sadly, the virus is still raging, cities locked down at times, and the Homes have maintained their strict quarantine despite enomous pressure from the families, a few of whose members have managed to return to employment

The lifeline for a number of these families has been the check-ins from our acting director and social worker (co-leaders of the group) and communication  between families--generallly by phone, in one-on one calls to share support and ideas on how to manage the challenges of caring for their disabled loved one. Had the group not been formed, it is highly unlikely that the families would have felt comfortable reaching out to one another!!

 Since it is sadly obvious that Covid-19 is not leaving soon, the Homes will be formalizing the parents' group meetings into smaller groups (because of frequent unreliability of the the internet there) via WhatsApp.

The support by the group that you provided has been essential, especially for those families who have not had their loved one at home for more than a few days for many years--if ever!

If you can, please continue to support us and keep these groups going.

On behalf of all at the Homes, our deepest thanks.  

Please stay safe!

Blessings!!

Liz

The Four Homes of Mercy

Family Support Groups Program

Report / February 2020

Building on the success achieved during the first year of the Family Support Groups program implemented by the Four Homes of Mercy (FHOM), and the desire of more families to join the program, a preparatory meeting will be organized for the members of the first group with new families, where every person has the chance to share his/her experience being part of the group and the benefits each received by the building and strengthening of bonds between families and the residents and staff of the FHOM. 

The engagement and involvement of new families will sustain the program and extend the support to new members who will also benefit from exchanging and sharing their concerns, needs, and dreams with each other.  The program will provide the members with needed psycho-social support and enable them to be more comfortable on spreading the realities and rights of those with special needs. 

        During this year the project  for this new group is expected to continue focusing on the following aspects:

• Creating opportunities to socialize and building friendships – where families are encouraged to build strong friendships and social relations to share their concerns, challenges, and experiences.
• Providing a listening ear – where families are encouraged to create positive environment to fully enjoy social support and the feeling being heard, understood, and accepted.
• Providing information, advice, and emotional and social support – where families are encouraged to create a caring environment where every member is able to question, learn and make important decisions concerning the services provided to their loved ones.
• Providing a regular meeting place –
• Organizing activities such as joint excursions and family days out – where families are encouraged to spend joyful times communicating with their loved ones and each other and thereby strengthening their relationships.

I  am so glad my child is now safe and getting good care,

Leila the mother of Kareem shared her hesitancy in joining the group.  After a couple of sessions, she was able to share her experience with having her child  served by different organizations before  bringing him to the Homes. She said “just now, when Kareem is in the Homes I feel that my child is safe”. She also said “now I will surely  continue to be an active member of the program”.

• PDF Report (PDF)