TuscBDD to share documentary film at resource fair
The people working to plan a local showing of “Unseen, How We’re Failing Parent Caregivers & Why It Matters” are Chris Sapp, front left, and Jennifer Flaherty; back left, Stephanie Keen, Kerri Silverthorn and Nate Kamban.
A documentary film, dinner and resource fair will be held at Buckeye Career Center in New Philadelphia on March 23 as part of the planned Developmental Disabilities Month activities. The event will be held from 5-7 p.m.
The film, “Unseen, How We’re Failing Parent Caregivers & Why It Matters,” will be shown publicly for the first time in Tuscarawas County. The film focuses on parent caregivers of children and adults with complex disabilities and the stress, exhaustion and isolation caregiving puts on them and their families. It is estimated 16.8 million people in the United States are caring for a child with disabilities or complex medical needs.
The event is being sponsored by the Tuscarawas County Board of Developmental Disabilities, Challenger Baseball, Starlight Enterprises Inc., Buckeye Career Center, the Ruth Carlson Starlight Foundation and the Dover Exchange Club.
A light meal will be served from 5-6 p.m., and the 45-minute film presentation will begin at 6 p.m. Throughout the event a local resource fair will be held. Limited respite care services for individuals with disabilities will be available during the event by RSVP only to csapp@tuscbdd.org.
For the resource fair, the group hopes to have 15 organizations participating. Organizations scheduled so far include Tuscarawas County Special Olympics, Family and Children First Council, ASPIES (a local chapter to help those with autism), Challenger Baseball, Starlight Enterprises Inc., Buckeye Career Center, Horizons, East Central Ohio Educational Service Center, Access Tusc, Lacey Performing Arts Center, Tuscarawas County Board of Developmental Disabilities, and Soccer for All, with more expected to join the event.
“Unseen” was first viewed during an online in-service day by TuscBDD staff. Staff members Stephanie Keen and Chris Sapp, who are both parent caregivers, found the film very intense. They agreed the experience left them feeling exposed.
“I come to work, and people think I’ve got it together, and for them to get a glimpse of what my life looks like when I go home, it’s different. To put myself in that vulnerable position was so emotional,” Keen said.
Jennifer Flaherty of Dover, a parent caregiver and one of the organizers of the event, spoke to some of the challenges. She said if you see her child every day with the same Superman shirt on, it’s not because she doesn’t change his favorite shirt.
“I took the shirt off. I washed it. I put it back on him. I sent him to school so neither one of us have a meltdown,” Flaherty said. “Sometimes I think that they jumped to conclusions before they really knew what’s happening in our household. I just think the film is a nice way to get a glimpse into a family’s home.”
The public may not see what it takes for parents to care for their children. Flaherty said it is common for students with disabilities to be on their best behavior at school, but when they get home, their behavior could change.
“I think a lot of times when they’re at day hab or at school, a lot of them are at 100%. They’re doing their best to stay together. And then once they get home, they have to release, whether it be aggressive, whether it be silliness or whatever. They need to let go,” Flaherty said.
Caregiving can be so consuming parents will sacrifice their own needs. Although Flaherty and her husband take turns with caregiving and can each have some of their own activities, planning an activity for the two of them is tough.
“Communities are struggling because there’s no support for caregivers. Even in our community, we have very little support for parents to go out to dinner. As parents who have a special needs kid who is 23, I still need to find a babysitter for my son,” Flaherty said. “It’s hard to admit sometimes when you have struggles at home. You want people to believe that you’re fine. It’s a lot of struggles, a lot of worries, a lot of stress at home for parents who are caregivers.”
The “Unseen” film even shows one parent caregiver who had a heart attack at the age of 30 due to the stress of caring for their child.
Flaherty said her family has been able to rely somewhat on other family members to help, but not everyone has family or friends who are able to help. More local resources and reliable respite care is needed.
“Our community is only as strong as our caregivers,” Flaherty said. “A lot of parents that have special needs kids, we don’t want sympathy. We want ‘how can I help you.’ We want understanding.”
Some service providers for people with DD in Tuscarawas County provide respite services, but the employee shortage that has affected other workplaces makes it difficult to schedule someone available to help.
Flaherty also is involved in another DD Month event, Tusc. Has Talent, a talent show for individuals with cognitive and/or physical disabilities. The show is sponsored by Tuscarawas County Challenger Baseball, Starlight Enterprises Inc. and the TuscBDD.
The show will be held Saturday, March 18 at 3 p.m. at the First United Methodist Church, 201 W. High Ave., New Philadelphia. Participants must be preregistered at the Challenger Baseball website for tryouts held March 13 from 5-7 p.m. For more information on the talent show, call Flaherty at 330-204-3067.