Desperation and Poverty

Do you think you could ever manage to survive on $495.00 a month in Canada, when you are responsible to pay $300 of that for shelter? This leaves $195.00 for food, basic necessities, power bills, heat, clothing, transportation to and from doctor appointments??

People somehow manage to do this everyday in this province. This is the rate of social assistance for a single individual who is over the age of 55, and/or has serious health issues that render them temporarily or sometimes permanently unemployable. They are not considered certified disabled because they can still look after themselves. Consequently, they don't qualify for more $$$, they aren't a priority with respect to subsidized housing, or other special benefits such as help with household items, or even a bus pass to get to and from appointments. They are on their own, struggling beyond comprehension.

Over the past couple of months, I have been meeting with a 57 year old woman who is barely surviving on this rate of assistance. Pat has no familial connections to this area. Her health has been so poor that she has lost any links she had to the community at large. For the past year, she has battled cancer on top of serious digestive problems, back problems and post-menopausal issues. She was totally dependant on the assistance she was given as she dragged herself to and from treatments. And despite her ongoing health issues, she contacted me to see if I could help her find employment.

She needs money. It's a simple as that. She is not able to survive on her meagre monthly cheque. Bottom line.

Pat is a survivor, that's for sure. She has always found work in the past, albeit low income work, but has managed to remain financially and spiritually independent. She has lived in various cities and towns across the country. She has a daughter living on the west coast, and has no contact with any other family members, except a cousin from time to time. She is an eccentric woman, who prefers to wear bright colours, layered clothing that reflect a free spirit aging hippy, and multicoloured hats shaped like ones that train engineers used to wear. She carries purses and bags of books and papers and spends a lot of time at the local resource centre, where there are other people, interactions, access to the internet, and leads for jobs.....oh and warmth, since she has to keep her heat way down in her apartment.

Her hope and faith are quickly diminishing, as she attempts to figure out how she will pay her power bill that is in arrears. On top of this, she is in an unsafe (though affordable??) apartment where she has been trying to cope with a tenant that has been harrassing her, another tenant who uses a neighbouring apartment as a drug drop off/brothel at all times of the day and night. The resource centre is her escape, her refuge. Her meetings with me are an outlet to connect with another person who will listen and help.

Lately, there have been a few meetings with me where I sensed that Pat was feeling cornered and saw no way out of her situation. It frightened me while counselling her how hopeless and lonely she felt. She needs to move, but has no means of moving her stuff. She needs to find a more affordable place to live, but was told that she is on a waiting list that is at least 2 years long, because she isn't considered a priority. She has no social connections and feels her sense of loneliness, particularly on the weekends, deeply. She has no money to join club or even take a bus to church etc. She is so stuck.

Maslow places the need for basic food, water and shelter at the foundational bottom of his hierarchy of needs for a self-actualizing life. $495.00 a month doesn't even cover this effectively without some community intervention.........soup kitchens, food banks etc. It's appalling. And yet, most community members are not aware,( or refuse to be aware ) of the daily struggles that neighbours are going through. Sense of belonging, and the need to be needed by others are also considered basic needs. Can you imagine not having anyone, a friend or a family member to connect with regularly..........someone who could help you out if you needed to move or if you needed care when you are too sick to care for yourself?

How does anyone in Pat's shoes ever manage to seek a life of fulfillment and actualization given what they are up against?

Pat and I have made some minor strides. I managed to convince the department to pay her hydro bill, and set her up for a fuel supplement. I snuck her a bus pass, by identifying that her caseplan included a job search. I told her to drop off any applications that she wants mailed. I arranged for her to take a first aid course, which would allow her to be a bit more employable in the homecare field........the only area I think she may have a chance finding work where she would have some control over the amount of work she can realistically accomplish. More importantly, my office and my contact will be open to her as a lifeline for the time being. Just by accomplishing these minor steps forward, out of the abyss, it was apparent to me that Pat's hope is flickering again...........barely. What she needs is more money, an affordable and safe home and healthy food.......basic needs.

The frontlines force you to remain aware of others' circumstances. Unfortunately, the disconnect between the fronlines and Senior level bureaucracy is glaringly evident. The powers who have the capacity to create change are too far removed, too busy having catered meetings, and unaware that the cost of a morning latte is often the amount of money a person has to live on for a full week before their next whopping monthly cheque arrives.

Unawareness is irresponsible denial. Unawareness in this case should be considered unacceptable. Unfortunately, unawareness helps balance the provincial budget. Like many many others in our country, Pat is SOL.

"In a country well governed poverty is something to be ashamed of. In a country badly governed wealth is something to be ashamed of."
Confucious