Beset by difficulties, injured ex-caregiver’s reunited family settles down little by little

Beset by difficulties, injured ex-caregiver’s reunited family settles down little by little

majuassaf@gmail.com

By Maria Assaf

“Little by little everything is going to be okay,” says Anastacia Espena, as she rolls her wheelchair towards the dining table where she is about to have dinner with her family. Her husband made corned beef with rice. The phrase has become her motto of late. It hides the urgency of her situation behind Anastacia’s optimistic attitude.

Anacito, Dan Gabriel and Anastacia having dinner at their new apartment. (PHOTO: MARIA ASSAF)

Her family is now settling in Canada. With the help of good friends, community members and other charitable souls, they have managed to acquire a dining table, a bed and a couch, as well as kitchen supplies for their new rental apartment. “Now we have lots of plates for a party,” she says laughing.

But they are still missing basics such as curtains, bed sheets and even cellular phones for her husband, Anacito and son Dan.

Anastacia, a former bank manager, fell on her back and injured her spinal cord while working as a nanny for a family in Mississauga in 2010. She has been living in a retirement home ever since. Her husband and son joined her in Canada in Aug. 14 after the three of them were granted permanent residence status. Her family was only allowed to stay at the retirement home until the end of August.

After months of looking, Anastacia finally found an apartment for them in a wheel-chair accessible building, but their situation is still far from ideal. With little time to choose, the Espenas had to rush into an option that was not suitable for their pockets. They moved in on Sept. 1.

Anacito and Dan arrived at the place only with their suitcases. They were sleeping in the living-room on a donated airbed until somebody gave them a bed the day before this interview took place. Anastacia is still living at the retirement home.

“I love [the apartment] because it has automatic doors for me. But I don’t like it because it’s not cheap,” says Anastacia.
When her family first arrived, she tried to move them into a one-bedroom condominium, which was cheaper that the two bedroom apartment where they are now. “I was disapproved by the owner,” she says. The company did not want to rent a one-bedroom apartment to a family of three. “He said I needed a two-bedroom. So I don’t have any choice, but to go back here,” she says.

Luckily, no one had rented the place yet and they were able to get it, but with Anacito being the only one able to work in the family, the CA $1,450 a month in rent represents a big financial burden.

“I loaned the money for the first and last month rent,” says Anastacia. She does not have the money for next month’s rent.

On Sept. 8, Anacito was hired as a probationary employee at a kitchen cabinet manufacturer in Mississauga, where they live. “It’s two bus rides away, but it’s okay,” says Anastacia.

He did the same job while working as a temporary worker in Saudi Arabia. “Maybe with a little bit of training, I can do it,” says Anacito, looking eager to start working.
“Since my husband is going to have a job tomorrow we’re going to be okay,” says Anastacia.

Little by little, Anacito and Dan are getting used to living in a new environment.

Dan started school on Sept. 2. His favorite subject is religion and he already found a group of Filipino friends. “I am still just adjusting and my Filipino friends teach me to adjust to the school,” he says.

Anastacia struggled to find supplies and uniforms for the 16-year-old. “It’s expensive, but a friend of mine bought two sets of uniforms as a gift,” says Anastacia. She was able to buy him the gym uniform.

Dan also has to take two buses to get to school 45 minutes away. He is waiting for the school to enroll him in its bus service. “We are hoping that he is going to get in as soon as possible, to save money for the bus tickets. It’s a lot if you don’t have, you know,” says Anastacia.

Anastacia is looking into applying for a food bank, to help her family with the costs of living.

Still, her biggest concern is to be able to move in with her family as soon as possible. She is waiting to be assessed by WSIB (Workplace Safety and Insurance Board) for the insurance that has been taking care of her since the accident.

The board has to determine if she can move into the new apartment and out of the retirement home where she receives meals as well as 24-hour medical care.

For her to move in with her family, WSIB may have to modify some features of the apartment to allow Anastacia to be more self-sufficient. They may also have to assign a personal support worker to take care of her while her family is at work and in school. All of this will be decided after her assessment.

“I don’t know yet what’s going to happen. That’s our primary concern right now. Because they can manage on their own, but if I am going to be here with them, it’s a different story. So that right now is our worry,” says Anastacia.

(Anastacia Espena can be reached at 416-558-1901 and at gemma_2113@yahoo.com)