IN SPIRIT Special Needs Program

Quadriplegics can often find themselves in a bind without the means to take action -- a broken wheelchair they can't afford to repair, a special medical supply not covered by their insurance, or a family member in need of a break. While there are few if any other agencies that can help in these kinds of situations, IN SPIRIT can lend a hand through its Special Needs Program and help quadriplegics keep moving along smoothly.

A Family Prevails

Joe was injured in a diving accident in 2001. He was 28 and living in the Los Angeles area. After a stay in rehab, he went into a nursing home where he quietly languished. His family was not familiar with how to care for a quadriplegic, but when his stepmother Dale visited him in

Los Angeles and saw his condition, she was determined to bring him home to his native Marin. She and his father Steve added an elevator to their hillside home and converted their living room into an accessible, supportive environment for Joe. Joe began receiving IHSS and they learned to navigate the ins and outs of home care and find suitable attendants on a limited budget. Dale has become a champion advocate helping Joe through health complications and working tirelessly through the homecare workers union to improve wages and benefits for IHSS workers. She doesn't stop there -- she is an avid gardener and contributes abundantly to IN SPIRIT's plant sale. Joe now tutors fourth-graders at Bahía Vista School. It has been an honor to provide occasional respite support to give Dale and Steve a week off to recharge.