Dear friends,
As you know, the World is facing an unprecedented crisis due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In all countries health and social service providers are facing difficulties and are trying to preserve the assistance and services for vulnerable groups, in particular people with disability and important dependencies.
In this time of fear, uncertainty and confinement, we want to send you a message of support and friendship. To tell you that we are thinking about you all, your users and families who are certainly concerned, your professionals as always deeply committed, your directors and associates in constant alert. Also keeping in mind your families and loved ones, whom we hope to be in good health!
Building on our history of collaborative and supportive meetings and activities, we believe that we can organise a co-productive community among ourselves, to share materials, recommendations, even simple messages of hope and encouragement. We can share them more widely via our media channels and newsletter, to enable them to be heard by all our members.
In the meantime we would like to share two two initiatives that we consider relevant and important:
- EDF recommendations on the range of risks for persons with disabilities
- International Disability Alliance Key Recommendations toward a Disability-Inclusive COVID19 Response
- The World Health Organisation’s recommendations regarding mental health during the COVID-19 outbreak
Las but not least, we want to share with you a video from AMPANS that gives us hope and happiness (see below)
Stay safe and united!
Yours
Raymond & Federico