EDDIE and Nora O’Dwyer are enjoying their golden years in the knowledge that their 37-year-old autistic son, Conor, has the best of all worlds when it comes to support.
Nora, who lives with her husband in Westbury, says she fought against Conor going into care when he needed specialist supports full time.
“I was the one who didn’t want to let him go. They suggested a phased process – he went in for a day and then a few days – what they were actually doing was phasing me in and giving me time to come round to the idea,” she told the Limerick Post.
Conor has been involved with the Rehab Ireland services since he was 18 and now lives full time in supported accommodation.
“At the start I said ‘no’. But after the phased introduction, they told me we could bring him home for visits any time we liked and that settled it.”
Eddie says he is confident that Conor enjoys his life with Rehab and the people he has befriended there.
“He makes no complaint about it at all and he never says when he visits that he doesn’t want to go back. And he’s well able to state his preference. We also still advocate for him and what he needs,” Eddie says.
“He has supported living and day services. It’s seamless.”
Conor now spends regular weekends and holidays at home and knowing he is well looked after has freed Eddie and Nora to do things they could never consider if they had full-time care of Conor.
“We would have no life if it wasn’t for these services,” Nora said.
The couple were among parents and clients attending the opening of the new Riverview Day Service centre run by Rehab Ireland at Georges Quay.