#ThinkAboutIt
When the Familiar Becomes the Default One of the most concerning things I have learned over the years is that when a system does not understand an unfamiliar situation, it may default to the nearest familiar category. And then familiarity can begin to look like accuracy. My son Alex has an extraordinarily rare combination of injury, physiology, technology, and physical dependence. He is cognitively intact(so weird we have to try to PROVE that)and fully self-directing, but requires highly individualized physical assistance and respiratory support. When I needed both knees replaced, more than one person suggested—more than once—that Alex could “just go to” a facility…and that suggestion was made without having reviewed Alex’s case, ever meeting him, and certainly never asking what he thought. 😕 Specifically, it was suggested that Alex go to an ICF, Intermediate Care Facility. So I did what I always do…I did my own research. I called the facility and anothe...
