Caring for adult children with mental illness

We are a group of family members who support relatives with mental health problems. More often than not, mental illness and related issues are mentioned in the media only in connection with sensationalist reports.

For us, dealing with the repercussions of mental illness is a daily reality. Families not only offer the necessary care and support, but are also expected to provide financially for their relatives, often indefinitely. This is because unemployed adult children who live with their parents receive no social benefit payments.

The state should consider implementing systems that ensure that every unemployed adult receives an income and wherever possible the individual contributes to the community in some way or another; for example, through community work.

This system would ease parents’ financial burden and give the individual more dignity and independence; it also contributes towards creating a society with a better balance between give and take.

Some of our children are able to take jobs, but they often do not succeed because there are very limited work opportunities that meet their specific needs. There is also a lack of systems such as job coaching and support and flexible working conditions which help them maintain a job.

Many of us are parents whose adult children depend to some degree or other on our care and support. We live in anguish in the knowledge that beyond our lifetime, as things stand, there are no structures to safeguard our children’s welfare. We fear that our demise will leave our children stranded without support and without the accommodation that not only provides shelter but also the necessary care for a dignified life.

We are currently receiving support from the Richmond Foundation, and we believe this organisation needs to be further funded by the authorities, so that it continues to develop mental health services according to societal needs.

Mental health services need to be complemented by legislation that protects the rights of mental health patients, so we call for the approval of the revised Mental Health Act.

Since research shows that mental illness will be the second leading health problem worldwide in the next decade, the need for more and better mental health services must be immediately addressed on a national level.