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.
That's where the role of a support worker is so valuable. You can be the 'bridge' between people, and integrate them. If the person can't knit, but enjoys sitting and watching, so be it, what's the harm, as long as you don't expect others to do your job whilst you disengage.
Well I am not surprised the OP has not come back.
She posted on a subject she felt strongly about on one particular afternoon, namely a care not doing her job.
The comments made assuming what sort of an uncaring ,unfeeling ,anti disability person she must be,would make me want to run for the hills.
I feel quite upset.
This thread is awful, thank heavens for Nezumi!
I can’t comment only to say ‘high five’ to Colds partner.
The carer needs to support the person to integrate with the group, which means getting involved. There is no excuse whatsoever for sitting around like a lemon, leaving other people to deal with the person. Its sheer laziness.
This post is just not about a carer doung her job but also shows the attitude of the person posting it by the language she uses. Knitters had to move and a resonant even had to move seats. Then she was now seated next to me! I had to get involved etc etc. Sorry but the carer brought her client to the group for some social interaction and that’s includes someone making them a cup of coffee or tea, after all in a group you don’t all go and and make your own drinks. This persons who posted needs to learn tolerance.
Supported living was my last workplace, nezumi. I made such a fuss about activities, and it being suitable for each person that I was made activities coordinator. 
I loved exploring options for people, and finding things they liked. It was by far my favourite part of the job.
at least one of them must knit even if it is only squares for blankets for wheelchair users
Sorry, that made my blood run cold. It is the opposite of inclusive. How about a conversation with the person about what she is hoping to get out of the group.
That should be reported to the CQC if happening Miss-A (who won’t do anything but will take it into consideration when inspecting). It could even be reported to safeguarding as organisational abuse. It should not be happening in this day and age. TBH the problems I have seen tend to be people not getting out enough from residential homes (not enough transport/staffing etc). That tends to be less of a problem in supported living.
Did the cater knit whilst at the group?
Are you knitting charity items or just your own projects or both?
Was this the first time the carer and her client had come?
If so next time some ground rules re drinks and food and at least one of them must knit even if it is only squares for blankets for wheelchair users.
Exactly, nezumi. Often its managers of places that insist you take people out every day, regardless of whether they want to go.
Jane10 - people with disabilities - including learning disabilities and even those with limited capacity should be choosing their own activities. Support workers don’t (or shouldn’t) just decide that someone is going to do x on a particular day.
There is always ample budget to take out the adults with learning disabilities that I've supported. The problem has been finding something they will enjoy. Often it is just being out and about that they like, rather than being with others, or in a group, or cafe.
I thought the OP was about a carer not doing her job properly. I didn't read it as being against people in wheelchairs attending. My suspicion is that the carer just took the lady to any free activity she could find. Cynical of me I know but I do know that these carers can be told to just 'take the person into the community' and given no budget for costs.
We see unfortunate people just being wheeled about shopping centres aimlessly because there's nowhere to go. Care in the community?!
Working with adults with learning disabilities I heard more than a few adverse comments when we were out and about. We were once helping people out of a minibus in a pub car park when the landlord came out and said there was no room for us in the pub.
Also had many acts of kindness from the public when there have been difficulties. Everyone has something to offer regardless of their level of disability.
And our shopping centre is having a quiet hour this morning for those with autism/dementia etc. In practice it just means during those sessions people are more tolerant of slightly unusual behaviour (& maybe PA’s carers feel more confident) - and that helps access. Nothing more tedious than being expected to apologise for someone who is doing no harm to anyone except showing some slight unusual behaviours.
Not so much since the introduction of the DDA (now replaced by the Equality Act). They have a legal duty to make reasonable adjustments. Forcing people to be inclusive does seem to have been more successful than assuming they’ll work out how to be inclusive themselves.
It isn’t just about wheelchair ramps and things though. Can still be very hard with people with (for example) learning disabilities to be accepted or access events etc. Even that is improving with relaxed performances at the theatre/cinema etc.
I’ve lost count of the number of examples I’ve read of in which theatres, football grounds, cinemas, restaurants etc etc fall back on quoting health and safety as a reason for excluding disabled people from attending and participating when really what they mean is that at best they can’t be bothered to sort out making it possible and at worst they just don’t want disabled people around them.
The knitting group also has to follow the Equality Act. Gone are the days when you can just declare someone in a wheelchair a fire risk and exclude them.
If they have concerns should talk to the person in the wheelchair initially, not her PA. You should always start by assuming capacity. If they are unable to communicate with the person then the PA can assist. I’m not sure why the person in the wheelchair would be a greater risk than the ladies with mobility problems who arrive. If fire is a major concern perhaps the group could run a fire drill.
OK. I understand the points everyone is making, but essentially the problem seems to be about responsibility. Assuming the knitting group is not held in someone's house, nobody can just set up a group and off it goes. There's legal health and safety requirements to be followed.
The knitting group has to follow the health and safety guidelines for using the space. So if the person in charge of the knitting group has agreed someone in a wheelchair can join, then that person must make sure that the health and safety arrangements are in place to keep the wheelchair user safe (as well as the rest of the group).
The wheelchair lady and her carer need to know what they must do in the event of a fire (or the fire alarm going off). The carer needs to understand she is responsible for getting the lady in the wheelchair out of the building. This needs to be considered for all of the space used by the group, not just for the main room e.g. the toilet, the kitchen, etc.
So the carer has responsibilities and it seems to me that explaining to the carer about these responsibilities is the ideal way to make it clear to her that she can't just daydream the time away.
eglantine I was agreeing with what I thought was your obvious irony!
maryeliza54 I liked yours too.
Well personally I’m all in favour of compulsory euthanasia foe wheelchair users and those unsteady on their feet OP - would make life SO much more comfortable for the rest of you. Happy knitting
I do hope OP is not expressing such discriminatory and intolerant opinions as they sound. Perhaps just badly expressed?
Try being at the “pointy end”of taking anybody with a disability anywhere, it is bloody hard, not to say exhausting, so any help, patience and tolerance are very gratefully received!
People need to realise some disabled people are just not suited to an environment which is very cramped (God help us if there were a fire).
Wow - just wow. I'm really stunned to hear such awful discriminatory attitudes in this day and age.
The carer shouldn’t be choosing what the person does - it’s up to the person to decide what they want to do. You can’t really compare childminders to carers/PA’s!
I have an adult daughter who uses a wheelchair and I am so glad that you OH are not living in her town where she is made most welcome in places however cramped. Yes she does drop food or articles and maybe you don’t realise OH that they have feelings and my daughter is embarrassed when she does it. She has the most wonderful carers but often they have to drop her at a place and then come back later to pick her up as they are pressed for time. What is wrong in helping someone in a wheelchair instead of carer doing it, it makes the person feel more inclusive and why can’t a wheelchair user eat a takeaway on a bus! Others do and throw their rubbish on the floor when they are finished.
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