Friday, October 26, 2012
Wheelchairs
A friend of mine who used to be one of my staff and who now runs a business at our local mall recently asked me if I thought it was OK for a staff person to put their personal backpack on the back of a client's wheelchair as they walked around the mall.
No, it isn't.
You should always consider a wheelchair as an extension of a person's body. You wouldn't even consider just loading your backpack on the back of your friend when you go to the mall... they might find a more creative place for you to put it... something about a place where the sun doesn't shine. So why would you take advantage of a person who possibly can't speak up for his/herself, or they can't physically reach around and toss your backpack on the floor or in a trash can?
How about if you ask first? Why on earth would you ask a person with a disability to carry your backpack for you? Seriously, you can't carry your own stuff? Then leave your stuff at home!
Don't lean on a person's wheelchair. And for goodness sake, never "go for a ride" in a person's wheelchair.
I know all of this sounds like common sense, but I have seen staff do all of these things. My friend knew the answer to her own question, but she had just seen a staff's backpack on top of the client's backpack as a group wandered aimlessly around the mall. And yes, she is sure it was the staff's backpack.
A little respect goes a long way.
No, it isn't.
You should always consider a wheelchair as an extension of a person's body. You wouldn't even consider just loading your backpack on the back of your friend when you go to the mall... they might find a more creative place for you to put it... something about a place where the sun doesn't shine. So why would you take advantage of a person who possibly can't speak up for his/herself, or they can't physically reach around and toss your backpack on the floor or in a trash can?
How about if you ask first? Why on earth would you ask a person with a disability to carry your backpack for you? Seriously, you can't carry your own stuff? Then leave your stuff at home!
Don't lean on a person's wheelchair. And for goodness sake, never "go for a ride" in a person's wheelchair.
I know all of this sounds like common sense, but I have seen staff do all of these things. My friend knew the answer to her own question, but she had just seen a staff's backpack on top of the client's backpack as a group wandered aimlessly around the mall. And yes, she is sure it was the staff's backpack.
A little respect goes a long way.
Friday, October 05, 2012
International Assistance
I'm am happy to announce that I just sold my first set of curriculum in South Africa! I had sold in Canada and Ireland previously, but South Africa just sounds so far away! It is very gratifying to know that my work is assisting people literally across the world!
I also recently had sales in Massachusetts, New York, and Michigan. SNAP Curriculum is now being used in over half of the states from Alaska to Florida.
I am so happy to see that people are actually interested in finding new ways to assist their clients. Nothing drives me crazier than staff who resort to "mall therapy" day after day. Yes, it gets clients into the community, but just sitting at the mall can't be considered community inclusion. Sitting at the mall all day isn't providing the clients any skills training and it doesn't provide any opportunity for interaction with members of the community. It just reinforces community stereotypes of "disabled kids on a field trip".
One of the great things about the curriculum is that it can be used anywhere... including the mall. While you are sitting waiting for the bus to show up, there are a number of daily living skills topics that you can be talking about. Talk about shopping skills, then get up and go shopping.
Talk about hygiene and then assist a client in the mall restroom to make sure they wash their hands... and do it properly.
Stuck for ideas of activities to do inside on a rainy day? Take a look at my Indoor Activities book... which is designed to be used in conjunction with the curriculum, but can be used independently of the curriculum as well.
Whatever you do, always look for ways to provide actual training for your clients whether you use my materials or not.
I also recently had sales in Massachusetts, New York, and Michigan. SNAP Curriculum is now being used in over half of the states from Alaska to Florida.
I am so happy to see that people are actually interested in finding new ways to assist their clients. Nothing drives me crazier than staff who resort to "mall therapy" day after day. Yes, it gets clients into the community, but just sitting at the mall can't be considered community inclusion. Sitting at the mall all day isn't providing the clients any skills training and it doesn't provide any opportunity for interaction with members of the community. It just reinforces community stereotypes of "disabled kids on a field trip".
One of the great things about the curriculum is that it can be used anywhere... including the mall. While you are sitting waiting for the bus to show up, there are a number of daily living skills topics that you can be talking about. Talk about shopping skills, then get up and go shopping.
Talk about hygiene and then assist a client in the mall restroom to make sure they wash their hands... and do it properly.
Stuck for ideas of activities to do inside on a rainy day? Take a look at my Indoor Activities book... which is designed to be used in conjunction with the curriculum, but can be used independently of the curriculum as well.
Whatever you do, always look for ways to provide actual training for your clients whether you use my materials or not.
