A decade after the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, parents in Kerala continue to face extreme emotional, social, and financial hardships in raising differently abled children.

  • Despite legal protections, parents of differently abled children face severe social isolation and mental health crises.
  • The fear of 'what happens after I am gone' drives many parents to extreme psychological distress.
  • High-achieving professionals are often forced to abandon careers to provide full-time care.

Even after ten years of the implementation of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, the lives of parents in Kerala remain a harrowing cycle of struggle and uncertainty. From the emotional turmoil of choosing between a spouse's medical emergency and a child's care to the crushing weight of social stigma, the challenges are multifaceted and deep-rooted.

K. N. Roshan Bijlee, director of the Composite Regional Centre (CRC) in Kozhikode, notes that parents navigate a complex psychological journey through denial, anger, depression, and eventually, a forced acceptance of reality. The struggle is compounded by gendered biases, where men often desert their families, blaming wives for the child's condition.

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Why This Matters

BozokMedia analysis shows that the lack of a robust community-based support system creates a vacuum that only families can fill, often at the cost of their own mental health and economic stability. This systemic gap highlights the difference between legislative intent and ground-level execution.

Society needs to accept the fact that most differently abled individuals cannot survive without their parents’ lifelong support.

The most tragic dimension of this crisis is the existential dread regarding the future. In the past year alone, Kerala has witnessed over 20 instances where parents, overwhelmed by the thought of their child's life after their death, attempted suicide or tried to kill their adult children. This 'future anxiety' is a silent epidemic among caregivers.

Furthermore, the economic impact is staggering. A recent survey revealed that even highly qualified individuals—including PhD holders and IIT graduates—are forced to abandon their careers and social lives to become full-time caregivers. This represents a significant loss of human capital and personal agency for these families.

Historical Background

The Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016 was enacted to provide for the protection of rights of persons with disabilities and ensure their dignity. While it provides a legal framework for inclusion, the transition from legal rights to social acceptance remains an uphill battle in many parts of India.

Did You Know?: Many desperate parents fall prey to fraudulent 'magical cures,' often selling their properties in a futile attempt to 'fix' their child's condition.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What are the primary psychological challenges faced by these parents?
Parents frequently experience stages of grief, chronic anxiety, sleeplessness, and severe depression due to the lifelong responsibility of caregiving.

2. How does social stigma affect these families?
Social stigma often results in the exclusion of differently abled individuals from community events like weddings, leading to the social isolation of the entire family.