I implore Gov. Andrew Cuomo to repeal the proposed budget cut of Medicaid funding for nonprofit organizations that serve people with developmental disabilities.
My son, Gabriel Miller, needs this funding in order to survive.
I cared for Gabriel as a single parent with the help of nurses that came to our home for 18 years. Nursing care became sporadic due to shortages of personnel and lack of expertise for his complexity of care.
Even though I was a healthy 53-year-old man, I reluctantly had to acknowledge that I could no longer care for Gabriel in the way he needed in order to keep living.
Gabriel now lives at Lexington Center's Mountain View residence, a New York State Association for Retarded Children chapter in Gloversville. This 24/7 skilled nursing facility is one of the few residential homes equipped to care for people with significant and severe disabilities.
Gabriel was on hospice care for the first two years of his life, yet he survived.
Why? Because of the level of continued consistent care he received from his family, nurses and from resources — including medications — provided by the Medicaid waiver program. He now receives a continuation of this level of care at Mountain View. The love and dedication of personnel and financial support are what has kept this young man alive every day since. The care he receives at his Medicaid-supported home keeps Gabriel alive.
You may wonder:
Why we keep using these resources and provide the constant care we do for this young man?
Why spend the money?
Why not just let him die?
Because, like a baby, or even a pet that you may have loved, this young man, even though he cannot speak, walk, or use his hands, exudes happiness and pure unconditional love to everyone. He is beloved by anyone who has ever been around him or taken care of him.
Perhaps that is why he is still alive today.
His life does make a difference and contributes to all those around him.
Please, governor, do not cut any monies for people with disabilities. They are the vulnerable, silent ones — and they need your love and support.
Dave Miller lives in Delmar.