Overseas Research Trip

Posted on November 18, 2008 • No Comments yet

By Debbie Mackenzie.

Peter and Debbie in Hawaii

Peter and Debbie in Hawaii

When I began assisting with the research Dr Gibilisco would later conduct in Hawaii early in 2008 I became aware that there were people with a general interest in the 
planned research. There were a variety of views. On reflection and with the 
wisdom of hindsight I now can see and appreciate the spectrum of opinion. 
Some people expressed enthusiastic support; they were excited about the 
project. Others, however, were more reserved. They seemed to express an 
undefined concern and I suspect they found it difficult to believe that such 
a trip could be possible. And yes, there were obstacles we had to overcome; 
however there was never lack of determination to see it through.
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Whose Support Worker Are You?

Posted on October 28, 2008 • 2 Comments

By an anonymous contributor.

Government House in Melbourne

Government House in Melbourne

My partner is very disabled and a while ago he was invited to an event at Government House as a representative of an organisation he advised. He was to be accompanied by a senior manager from the organisation inviting him. He could also take a support worker with him.

He thought I might like to go with him instead of taking a support worker and I said yes – my big chance for afternoon tea at Government House! We were all dressed up ready to go and the manager from the organisation arrived. I opened the door to her. She was dressed up too, but did not make eye contact with me at all. As she came in she ignored me and walked past me into the kitchen and started talking to my partner. Read more »

Categories: Partner Written
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The importance of disabilty support workers

Posted on October 19, 2008 • 1 Comment

By Peter Gibilisco and Debbie Mackenzie. Reprinted with permission of authors from On Line Opinion.

Peter and Deb Working

Peter and Deb Working

A primary “goal” of the State Disability Plan is to provide support, that is, to encourage people with disabilities to live their own lifestyle. This is referred to in the State Disability Plan, as the pursuit of individual lifestyles: “to enable people with a disability, to pursue their own individual lifestyles by encouraging others to respect, promote and safeguard their rights, by strengthening the disability support system”. Read more »

Categories: Client Written, PCA Written
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Some Very Special People And Our Relationships

Posted on October 19, 2008 • 3 Comments

By Vince Pirrottina

Vince and Gus at Melbourne's opulent Crown Casino.

Vince and Gus at Melbourne's opulent Crown Casino.

Gus

They say if you have a couple of good friends in your life that you are very lucky.

I feel blessed to have had rewarding relationships with some of my Attendant Carers.

Each relationship has had a unique value to it and along with my wife Rosanne helped me achieve many goals that I would never have attempted.

Besides spending much of my time with my wife Rosanne, I would also spend 5 to 7 days a week with Gus who is my major attendant carer, he starts at approximately 8:30am, doing 3 shifts a day and finishing around 10:45 pm at night. Read more »

Categories: Client Written
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Relationships with Non-verbal Clients

Posted on October 19, 2008 • 6 Comments

By an anonymous contributor.

Non-verbal clients don't have to be invisible.

Non-verbal clients don't have to be invisible.

What I thought was that I would try to explore the relationship between carer and client when the avenues of communication are very limited. I have one particular client with cerebal palsy who can make noise, but does not speak any words that can be understood. She cannot use a computer keyboard or lightwriter as she cannot control her hands, nor can she use a pen light to point at pictures or words as she cannot stand anything on her head. She does not walk and cannot propel her wheelchair by herself, so she can’t show you what she wants by leading you to it! It’s like she is locked inside her own world. Yet out of all the clients I visit, Miss X is the one who’s company I enjoy the most and is an absolute pleasure to work with. Read more »

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Terry’s Tuesdays

Posted on October 7, 2008 • No Comments yet

By: EW Tipping Foundation, 2009 Calendar.

Terry and James Playing Golf

Terry and James Playing Golf

Terry Meade of Ballarat looks forward to Tuesdays with a passion. It’s the day he gets out to play several hours of golf with his Vista staff member, James.

Terry received five hours of support every week from Vista as part of its federally-funded dementia support program, leading the way in showing how creative support can be. Read more »

Categories: Agency Written
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Successful working relationships with disability support workers

Posted on October 6, 2008 • 1 Comment

Written by Maree Ireland.

Maree in a meeting.

Maree in a meeting.

Maybe the word “successful” is not the most appropriate word to use because of the human factor element involved. So how do you measure “success” is it how long the worker stays; is it how well they follow instructions; is it how well they “look after” you, ie they treat you as well as they treat themselves ie appearance; cleanliness etc. Read more »

Categories: Client Written
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The Birth Of The Client/Attendant Relationship

Posted on October 6, 2008 • 1 Comment

By Vince Pirrottina.

As always communication is the key to any relationship, this starts when a Client and Attendant meet for the very first time. It is natural for both parties to feel a bit uneasy at first especially with someone new to Attendant Care work. It’s important to make them comfortable and discuss any fears they may have. Letting them know there will be someone helping and giving one to one training. Read more »

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Gus and Vince – A Close Relationship

Posted on October 6, 2008 • No Comments yet

By Gus.

Gus, Vince, and Rosanne.

Gus, Vince, and Rosanne.

My name is Gus and I have been supporting Vince since April 1998 and in that time we have formed a very close relationship, it has got that way at times that we can read each others mind and can be doing something we had been thinking of at that very moment. The both of us have become so tuned into each others thoughts now after all this time. That is, in a way we have become more like extended family than just a working relationship, involving client and support worker. In reality, it maybe only little things that we do for each other, but they make a big difference in a mutually beneficial partnership, like most relationships their has been some good times and so not so good times. Gone away together and also with Vince’s wife Rosanne, and often go to see a movie or a live show and exhibitions.
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Creativity with Gifts and Appreciation

Posted on October 6, 2008 • 3 Comments

By Ricky Buchanan.

Woven bag I made as a going away gift for a PCA.

Woven bag I made as a going away gift for a PCA.

I know the agency rules about gift giving, at least with the agency currently providing my attendant carers, is “nothing that costs money” or something very similar. I don’t have spare money anyway, being on a pension and all, but I feel it’s important to recognise things like birthdays and Christmasses and other special times, so I’ve used my creativity and come up with things that cost virtually no money but have a high emotional value for that person.

Sometimes these gifts and their worth are specific to the carer involved. Once I secretly learned a Russian song and sang it as a “gift” to a carer who was Russian and was teaching me Russian during our PCA shifts. Then we laughed a lot and she explained to me what the correct pronunciation was and I sung it again! Several times I have made tiny pieces of artwork like hand-made gift cards with drawings on them for carers who I knew loved art. I made a 2 inch square woven bag as a “goodbye” gift for a PCA who moved to England after working with me for four years – she was an art therapist as well as a PCA and we did lots of arts and crafts together while she was here, so I knew she would appreciate the little bag. Read more »

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Simon and Frank

Posted on October 6, 2008 • 1 Comment

By Simon.

Simon in a meeting.

Simon in a meeting.

One of the relationships I formed with a client who I worked with as an attendant carer, where the outcome was fulfilling and positive for both of us, was a relationship based on friendship, teamwork and trust. That relationship and trust took a while, though, to form.

I was asked by my co-ordinator to go meet a man, Frank (not his real name), who had been in a car accident resulting in huge injuries. He had been living in a busy, noisy ward in a private hospital for a number of years and was very withdrawn and disengaged from life. The co-ordinator told me he had sent a few carers to try and encourage Frank to go out and enjoy something. All having no luck. “I don’t know if you’ll have any success but give it a bash” my co-ordinator said. Read more »

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