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You can feel differently about them Auntieflo. You don't have to nice to a nasty person just because they are in a wheelchair!
We are in the process of hopefully getting care for Mum. The social services lady said that even if we are lucky enough to get assessed as needing care and why won’t we? Mum is 99 with a respiratory illness, we may have to wait an unspecified time as the care providers are short staffed due to the carers returning to Europe.
One assumes it can only get worse!
My DH has now had to become my unpaid carer. He can't work because I can't be left alone. Yet the switch over from D.L.A to P.I.P has decided to stop everything. Oh well . We muddle on.
Overthehill, I am so sorry that you have had an unfortunate meeting with a disabled person in a wheelchair. I know two folk who have to use wheelchairs. One is self centred and very demanding, the other is the complete opposite. The first one, I tend to try and ignore as she makes me so cross, the second I would do anything to help. Neither of them have carers, and I know I should not feel so differently about each of them, I just do, and it is their attitude to life that makes the difference. Sorry this turned into a bit of a rant.
I sing in one choir where one of the members has Alzheimers and another a stroke. Neither sing in concerts, but they come for the "crack" and are happily welcomed, just as they should be. Welcome this lady, get involved, help her and ignore the carer, whoever she might be.
You are right GG so many carers are low paid and have little or no training. Shame on our society for leaving the care of the most vulnerable to the least well equipped.
As others have said overthehill the social interaction within your group is more important than the actual activity.
I understand the point you are trying to make, and the carer is clearly not doing his/her job. Maybe the best thing to do under the circumstances is to ensure the carer sits next to the lady and when she needs something point it out to this person. i.e. "Miss X is asking for her drink, could you help her, please?" The carer will get the message soon enough. If that is not enough, take carer aside (I would) and point out her job in simple English, out of the lady's earshot.
I feel sorry for the poor lady, she is clearly coming to the group because she wants to learn to knit. It is not her fault she cant knit at all. Also, as others have said, it is a way of having some social activity. She may lead a very lonely life.
Vote to pay higher taxes and we will get better services. Keep voting to have your services cut because it is not something YOU need at the moment and that is exactly what will happen. Many an underpaid, undertrained carer goes above and beyond what they are required to do but a few just do the bear minimum. As Marydoll said, the lady in the wheelchair was probably very glad to be in company - just as you or I might be in the same circumstances.
In this something for nothing society people seem so very surprised when what they end up getting is exactly what they are prepared to pay towards having a great society for all - nothing.
Whether the "wheelchair user", can knit or not, I suspect they were probably happy to just have some social interaction.
I understand the point you are trying to make about the carer not carrying out their duties, but as Kitty said, the "wheelchair" actually had a person sitting in it.
I often have problems using my hands and I get so embarrassed when I drop things like milk, tea, food etc on the floor and have to ask for help to clear it up. If it weren't for other's kindness, I would be in a right mess. I'm sure the person appreciated your kindness in helping them.
We never know what the future will bring.
It’s a lottery. Carers are very poorly paid. While some are marvellous, sadly others couldn’t ‘care’ less.
How can you be sure these carers are being paid? Could be family members or volunteers. I have only second-hand experience of carers but the families who need need them are full of praise. You sound very bitter about this and l wonder if there's more to it.
I think the carer's job description is implicit in the job title... similarly e.g. fireman, bus driver, receptionist etc. Care for the person in your charge.
Me too!
I suppose it depends what the 'carer's' job description was.
I am concerned that you say a 'wheelchair' got on the bus. The wheelchair was presumably being used by a person.
DS1 has a 'carer' (now called a Personal Assistant) whose job is to help facilitate him being able to live as normal life a life as possible.
I’m just grateful I’m not in a wheelchair.
I was seething today and I don't seeth very often.
I go to a knitting group. A person in a wheelchair turns up with their carer. Room has to be made and one knitter was asked to move to another seat to make way for the carer. The wheelchair is next to me. When coffee time came someone made this person a coffee in a mug they had with them. I now have to get involved as he/she cannot reach the table to put it down. They then get a carton of special milk out and fill the mug to the brim. Not wanting this over me some was tipped away by another knitter. In the meantime at two different times two knitters tried to get this person knitting without success. Later the lady who runs the group notices the carton of milk on the floor spilling out over the carpet. The lady who runs it gets down on her knees she's over 70 and cleans the floor up. The carer so called does absolutely nothing and isn't sitting next to her charge, I am.
Of course being an all inclusive group we have to let anyone in who wants to come. I know it sounds unkind but this person was not capable of knitting in any shape or form. This carer knows she can have any easy ride and rest by bringing this person along and basically dumping them there while she has a relaxes.
Strangely enough I have another example from the day before (which probably added to my annoyance today).
DH and I were on a bus and a wheelchair with carer got on. After a little while there was the ghastly smell of some greasy take away. It became evident the man in the wheelchair was eating it. He then tried to attract the attention of his carer who had earphones on and it took another passenger on the bus to poke him as the man in the chair had dropped the food all over the floor of the bus. The carer did clear up after a fashion, but did he think it was a good idea to give food to someone with limited capacity a meal on a bus....I question where they get these people from and why aren't they doing the job they're paid for.
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