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31| The IFP -H alton H ills | T hursday,M ay 3,2018 theifp.ca By Cory Soal R.H.A.D. . . . Lend MeYour Ears We care about your hearing! Professional Arts Building 99 Sinclair Ave., Suite 210, Georgetown 905-873-6642 Serving the community of Halton Hills and surrounding areas since 1992 The Georgetown Tinnitus is a subjective experience where one hears a sound, ringing or noise when no external physical sound is present. Some call it "head noises", "ear ringing," or other similar things. WHAT CAUSES IT? There are many causes; indeed almost everything that can go wrong with the ear has Tinnitus associated with it as a symptom. Things as simple as wax against the eardrum to very serious items such as tumors on the 7th facial nerve can produce Tinnitus. Meniere's disease has Tinnitus associated with it. One of the most common causes of Tinnitus is exposure to excessively loud sounds such as shooting, chain saws, rock concerts, or other loud noises. For more information feel free to call… COMMON QUESTIONS ABOUT TINNITUS - PART 1 WHAT IS IT? In a few years, Yvonne and Ed Mabee's grandson Sean will turn 18, but their plan for his future is hazy. The lack of options available for adults on the autism spec- trum leave the couple without a plan for Sean's future and with very little hope that something positive will come into fruition within the next few years. "You can't make a plan after 18 for kids like ours," Yvonne said. "For Sean, he's going to end up in a home, eventually. We're not go- ing to live forever. We need to set him up and we would like to set him up so that we can go visit a home and pick and choose, but we can't do that." Knowing that it takes years to receive a call, Yvonne says Sean was placed on a wait list for a home at seven years old. He is now 14 and Yvonne says she has yet to hear back - and when she does, there is no guarantee that the home available will be one that is best suited for her grand- son. "When a home comes up, it could be a crappy home," Yvonne said. "And if you turn it down you're going back on that wait list." According to the most recent version of the Housing Task Force guide by P4P Planning Net- work, in conjunction with the Ministry of Community and So- cial Services, there are currently 12,000 adults with developmental disabilities in Ontario who are in need of housing. As a result of the demand for an increase in housing options in recent years, the Ontario govern- ment currently has 18 proposed projects in the works, though none of them are for Halton Re- gion. Ed and Yvonne Mabee with their grandson Sean, 14. Veronica Appia/MetrolandKady Lafor- tune is a mother of two sons who are on the spectrum. Her sons have also been on the wait list for a home since they were children. They are now 19 and 21 years old. Lafortune says along with the problem of finding a home that is the right fit for her sons, she wishes there were more activities and programs available in Georgetown for her boys to par- take in on a regular basis. Finding programs in town has been a struggle for Lafortune since she first moved to George- town 21 years ago. "For many years I drove down to Milton for camps, because I work full time and my husband works full time. We would drive every week to Milton, he would drop them off and I would pick them up, but I think it's impor- tant for the kids to know this is their community and to have things here to," she added. The lack of camps for teenag- ers in town leaves Yvonne and Ed in a tough situation each sum- mer. They have to use respite ser- vices to be able to go to work be- cause they cannot leave Sean home alone. "There are camps in Halton Region, but farther way," she said. "I leave at 6:30 in the morn- ing. If the camp runs let's say 9 until 4, how am I going to get there in time?" By June, Georgetown is expec- COMMUNITY As their autistic sons reach adulthood, these families are searching for options From left to right: Bev Keane Teakle, Robin Treffry, Yvonne Mabee, Kady Lafortune and Colleen Bliss of the Autism Ontario North Halton chapter. Veronica Appia/Metroland l See PARENTS, page 39 VERONICA APPIA vappia@metroland.com