Social conditions
Work with people with disabilities
Many of the diarists worked to help people with disabilities,
such as this man who works on a community transport facility:
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Abergavenny
Market
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Abergavenny Baptist
Church |
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The Commodore Hotel,
Llandrindod Wells
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- 1. Took
car, collected neighbour, drove to Crickhowell, checked out 'Dial-a-ride' bus and rove it to collect clients from Bwlch,
Llangynyder, Llangattock, Crickhowell and took then to Abergavenny (market
day). NB clients are disabled or elderly. Arrived late in Abergavenny due
to need to detour via Glan Usk estate because of Llangynyder Bridge closure
(10.20).
2. Talked to one lady client for ½ hr as she
couldn't walk and stopped in the bus. Went to Abergavenny Baptist Chapel
and had toast and coffee and talked to friends. Did a little shopping for
self and clients - returned to bus.
3. Late driving from
Abergavenny due to delay getting shopping for disabled client - left at 11.50.
4. Delivered clients back home and returned bus to parking area. Drove neighbour
(escort) and self home.
Others have different roles:
- Duty Officer
all morning, for once the phone was quiet - only one referral and one car
badge assessment all morning. I was able to type several case notes onto computer
and complete a long hand written assessment.
Beautiful sunny day. Afternoon home visit planned to rural hamlet to visit
client recently discharged from hospital with large package of home care.
As this client is terminally ill and looks like needing more care (currently
4 visits x 2 carers x 7 days a week) I am about to apply for Health Service
funding to provide additional support.
- I went to work for 9am and
wondered what might unfold during the day. You can never tell in my line of
work. I work for an advocacy group who support people with learning disabilities
- I'm their advice and development worker and do a lot of basic skills
training. I'd been given instructions to keep our 'New Deal'
worker busy. It's his first week with us. My two colleagues were out
for the day so this task fell on me. It was extremely quiet so the 'busy'
bit was quite difficult.
-
an
hour in the Commodore Hotel taking minutes for the Radnorshire Deaf and Hard
of Hearing support Group, concerned by the inadequate provision of NHS digital
hearing aids in Powys.
- My work as a Social Worker
with people who are deaf cover s the whole of Powys which means spending a
lot of time behind the steering wheel but I am around Llandrindod all day
today. Arrive at the office just before nine and switch on the computer. Since
I started working here in 1980 the bureaucracy has increased monumentally.
The Department is obsessed with counting things.
After sorting post, emails and new referrals I attend a Radnor Deaf and Hard
of Hearing Support Group committee meeting. This is a group of mainly hard
of hearing volunteers who run a club for people with a hearing impairment
and do great work lobbying for better service locally. We discuss fears that
the local hearing aid clinic will be unable to cope with demand for the newly
available digital hearing aids and that waiting lists are likely to go through
the roof. I agree to find out who is the best person to write to at the Local
Health Group.
After a home-grown tomato and chive sandwich at my desk a sharp walk around
the lake and back as part of my keep fit resolution.
One of my visits this afternoon is to an elderly lady who is struggling to
cope with severe and deteriorating hearing loss. We discuss equipment that
might help her at home such as a flashing light for the doorbell and loop
system to listen to the TV, but her main concern is how impatient people are
with her and how isolated she is feeling.
The diary of a teacher of English to blind
students can be seen here.