"My parents are old and sick, my sister is dealing with a severe disability - when there are alarms we are lost"

(haipo) - Since the fighting began in the north, many residents of Haifa and Kiryat find themselves without a shelter or shelter and are forced to make do with the most protected space in their home during the alarms. For many families, this means standing in the stairwell of a building or an inner room in an apartment, but when one of the family members is a person With the bedridden disability, the challenge becomes much more complex.

This is the difficult situation a family from Kiryat Shmuel has been dealing with in recent weeks. The family members say that they repeatedly contacted the relevant authorities, but according to them, so far they have not received an answer that would give them security in the event of an emergency. "We don't have the option of entering the MMD or going down to the shelter, we are left helpless," the family members say and express frustration that no solution has yet been found for them, despite the obvious risk they face in light of the situation.

"Needs two people to move around"

"My parents live in an old apartment belonging to a housing company, a place that is not fit for living," says the daughter of a couple from Kiryat Shmuel with pain. According to her, apart from the poor condition of the apartment, it does not have any protected space, and the stairwell is not an option, as it is full of openings and is not safe in case of an alarm. "Even if the stairwell had been safe, it wouldn't have mattered," she adds, "My 24-year-old sister has been bedridden for six years. It all started in 2018, when she was 18 years old and healthy. Her condition has gradually deteriorated, and now she is sick and only gets around In a wheelchair, spends most of the day in bed, and to leave the house she needs the help of two people to carry her in a wheelchair down the stairs."

The health condition of the father of the family, who is 80 years old, does not allow for a quick response in an emergency. "My father is not healthy, he was diagnosed with a brain tumor, which causes, among other things, blurred vision and memory problems. He and my 65-year-old mother, who is also facing serious health problems after undergoing two cancer treatments, cannot run to the public shelter down the street," she says anxiously "My concern only grows, especially when there have already been falls in the neighborhood. The last time the windows were broken and I'm afraid, God forbid, next time it might be worse."

Feeling that no one really cares

"We turned to the Home Front Command when rockets started falling near their house and the windows were damaged," the daughter painfully shares. "The Home Front Command referred us to the municipality, which referred us to the welfare. The welfare offered to send the parents to a retirement home, and to find another setting for my sister. But my sister needs me or my mother all the time - she faints often, and can only eat soft food. We explained to the welfare that simply It is impossible to separate them, but we were told that 'it is what it is' and that there is no other option."

"The feeling is that we are falling on deaf ears, as if no one really cares," she adds. "A disabled association arranged a hotel room for them in Tel Aviv for a week, until last Friday, November 1, 2024. We asked to extend the stay, but they cannot approve it. We thank them and greatly appreciate their help, but do not know how to proceed from here.

My family is a candidate for moving through the mortgage company. It was explained to us that there are no apartments with MMD, but only those with shelters, so it doesn't matter, because they can't get to the shelters either. When I contacted the municipality, I asked them for a solution that would allow us a place to stay for a few days, not money or other help, But simply a place that will support us in this situation, but unfortunately, there is no one to talk to."

The Haifa Municipality responded:

"Due to the security situation, the family wishes to evacuate the house together. It was explained to them that this was impossible, because the Home Front Command did not order the evacuation of residents in our area. At the same time, the family was offered an accessible apartment in Kiryat Haim by the "Amigor" company, but they refused because they wanted to stay in a religious neighborhood in Kiryat Shmuel. In a broad consultation of professionals, it was reported that for the daughter it is possible to find a framework adapted to her needs, but it is not possible for her to be shared with her parents, who have other needs, and there is no framework that will accommodate all three of them together. The daughter refuses this and is not ready to sign a confidentiality waiver in order for welfare to collect the materials required for this arrangement. Despite the daughter's numerous requests, she receives regular replies and there are many telephone conversations with her, on a daily basis.'