As a child, Jolanda is different from others. It is sensitive to noise and the presence of many people. It is difficult to get involved in new situations. Avoids contact with other children and isolated from the outside world. Still, he gets good grades at school. As a result, it is not diagnosed until he reaches the age of majority. After graduating from school, he starts the internship as a babysitter because he loves them above all.
Soon, however, he realizes that responsibility is too high for her. He gives up his dream with a heavy heart. People around her agree that she has no other option for her than an internship. So he tries to start again in the bakery.
However, in work, contacts with colleagues and clients cost her a lot of energy. She can barely manage to regenerate before the next day of work. Thanks to the support of a psychiatrist and reduced load load, he is able to complete the internship – as the best in the canton. Jolanda, however, cannot enjoy it because she is completely exhausted by practices and is unable to find herself in his professional life. When he is 19 years old, The new psychiatrist suspects autism for the first time. He considers her to be 100 % sick. The diagnosis initially brings her relief. Her “otherness” finally has a name.
Autism spectrum disorders are innate, last throughout their lives and are legally classified as disability. From the outside, people often only see the intelligence and maturity of a person, and not its limitations and the difficulties she has to deal with. “Sometimes I have the impression that people would treat me more seriously if my disability could be seen,” says Jolanda.
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People with autism spectrum disorders perceive the world differently. This can cause sensory overload, and thus huge stress. Coping with other people is a big challenge for many people affected by autism And it's exhausting. That is why Jolanda must limit her social contacts to a minimum and spends a lot of time in her apartment and on the terrace.
Odyssey after offices and offices
Diagnosis means the beginning of Odyssey with numerous visits to offices, at doctors and psychiatrists and an application for disability pension. In the canton, the Appenzell goes to a doctor who has no experience in the field of autism. It makes various diagnoses, but autism is not one of them.
Long procedures and strict criteria for granting a disability pension are common reasons why people in the meantime must benefit from social assistance. Children and youth, lonely parents and people after divorce are Also exposed to a high risk of getting dependent on social assistance. Ok 257 thousand people in Switzerland currently receives social assistance.
Jolanda is now 24 years old and lives in the countryside in Lucerne canton. He doesn't give up. At its own expense, she underwent research at the Psychiatric Center for Autism in Lucerne. The diagnosis from the specialist center is clear: an autism spectrum disorder. The 14-page specialist report is now evaluated by officials. Jolanda doesn't know when she can expect a decision. She is supported by a lawyer from Pro Mente Sana, her psychiatrist and family.
Jolanda is not able to work enough to stay. Until he gets a disability pension, there is no other choice but to benefit from social assistance. Anyone whose income is not enough to cover the cost of living, has the right to social assistance. Jolanda must, however, first use all her assets up to 4000 francs [ok. 18 tys. zł]. In some cantons, this amount is even lower or there is no benefit at all. Municipalities and cantons are responsible for social care, which is why there are sometimes significant differences between regions.
Degrading questions
If you want to get social assistance, You need to disclose your financial situation at the Social Welfare Office And answer many other questions. Many social services require that doctors, therapists or insurance companies be released from the obligation to maintain confidentiality at the time of submitting the application.
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Swiss francs. Illustrative photo
Jolanda considers this humiliating, because he discusses very personal matters with her psychiatrist and doctors. Therefore, he refuses to sign such general powers of attorney. However, it is ready to renounce the confidentiality of certain information if he asks the Social Welfare Office. She is aware that if she does not cooperate, the office may reduce her benefits.
Some social assistance beneficiaries have a job. But Many of them can only work in a small amount of hours or are employed in low -paid sectors. Sometimes they participate in the integration program to slowly return to professional life.
Social care supports integration efforts: anyone who works and still needs social care can stop up to 600 francs [ok. 2700 zł] your salary. People who do not work but take part in integration programs can receive an allowance of up to 300 francs [ok. 1350 zł]. Actions and workload for which add -ons are obtained are different. Jolanda can do small work at home on some days and earn an additional 100 francs [ok. 450 zł].
“Not for people using social assistance”
Because Jolanda must pay rent from health care funds, she is too little to eat. This is the case with many people, says Beat Handschin from the SOS Beobachter Foundation: – We receive many applications from people who do not cover all rent. This repeatedly leads to the financial difficulties of people affected by this situationbecause they must pay extra for the cost of a modest budget for basic needs.
24-year-old Jolanda is also a “young adult”. Her budget for basic needs is therefore reduced by 20 percent. This reduction stops as soon as he turns 25. It is a small ray of hope because Currently, only 290 francs are left for life [ok. 1300 zł] monthly.
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Empty wallet. Illustrative photo
Jolanda is grateful that she can receive a discount on food. Nevertheless It is difficult for her to endure the fact that she is dependent on her at all and that she has to fight for support for years – Despite the diagnosis supported by specialized reports in which her disability is legally classified.
“I certainly never imagined that at the age of 24 I would have almost no prospects for the future and a dignified life,” he says. Her hopes are associated with a positive decision to grant a disability pension that would improve her financial situation. After all, the pension and additional benefits usually leave more on life than social care.
Jolanda is also very concerned about how society perceives people using social assistance. Because her house is to be demolished in a year, she studies housing ads every day. Cheap apartments are rare. And when the appropriate announcement in the newspaper finally appears, sometimes it is written in it: “Animals allowed, not for people using social assistance”. This is the cheek for a young woman
– Financial poverty should not be used to draw conclusions about the character and characteristics of a person – he says. – Being financially poor does not mean being intellectually poor.
I’m Ashley Davis as an editor, I’m committed to upholding the highest standards of integrity and accuracy in every piece we publish. My work is driven by curiosity, a passion for truth, and a belief that journalism plays a crucial role in shaping public discourse. I strive to tell stories that not only inform but also inspire action and conversation.
