Homecare in Hungary

Magdolna Schilling has been caring alone for her severely and multiply disabled son, Fecó, for more than thirty years. Fecó is now over 41 years old. Magdi is one of the thousands of parents in Hungary who, through superhuman effort, try to look after their children who require continuous supervision and care due to severe, multiple disabilities. They feed them, bathe them, change their diapers—tasks that are physically demanding, especially since in many cases these “children” are already adults. Their social relationships also suffer from this situation. Friendships and marriages break down because they have to be by their child’s side practically 24 hours a day.

By now, Magdi has become one of the faces of the struggle of parents providing home care. In 2017, with the help of the Hungarian Civil Liberties Union (TASZ), she and five other parents filed a lawsuit against the state. They wanted to compel the creation of supported housing in Budapest—facilities that would offer family-like conditions and personalized care for their children.