GUIDE
SHEET: WORKING WITH DISABLED PEOPLE
Note: This particular sheet for our I T CAN HELP
computer Network, is to be used in
conjunction with the general Disability Communication
Guide produced by The Employers Forum on Disability, copies of which
will also be forwarded to all our Volunteers once they are COMMENTS or
RECOMMENDATIONS: a) For many of our Volunteers who have had
previous experience of Helping people
with disabilities, or are in a similar caring job like working for
one of the Leonard Cheshire Homes, etc, all these notes will be
second nature. They have really been
prepared for those who are new
to this type of work, to help them avoid making mistakes or
possibly upsetting a severely disabled Client, by inappropriate
remarks or actions! b) If a Client has difficulty in using a
standard keyboard, mouse or screen etc. and
would benefit from different equipment, put the Client in contact
with AbilityNet. This organisation
is aware of the many
alternatives, to the standard computer system. They run a
national help line service and can be
contacted on:- Freephone 0800 269
545. GENERAL POINTS 1. Treat the person as you would anybody
else 2. Always offer to shake hands. 3. Do not avoid eye contact, but don't stare
either 4. Don’t be patronising For instance, if you don't usually address people by
their first name, don't make an exception for those with a
disability, until asked to so by the person concerned. 5. Offer assistance, but don’t assume it
will be necessarily accepted or welcomed! 6. Don't automatically give assistance,
without asking first. 7. Don't lean on a person's wheelchair (it's
their own personal space). 8. Don’t push the wheelchair, unless asked
to do so 9. Keep accessibility in mind. For example, move a chair aside if it's a barrier to
a wheelchair. 10. If your conversation with a person in a
wheelchair lasts more than a few
moments, try to position yourself at the same level, or at least ask the
person if they would like you to sit. 11. When talking to a person in a wheelchair
don't be embarrassed to use such
phrases as, 'Lets walk over to the window'. 12. Talk to the person directly, not to their
carer, unless asked to do so. 13. If the person is hearing impaired, ensure
they can see your face and
lips. Do not obscure their view with
bits of paper or hand-held objects. 14. Don't look downwards when talking to a
person who has a hearing impairment, try to
maintain eye contact.
*********************************************************** The above are just
general points when working with people with disabilities,
specific additional notes on our particular computer work with disabled
people are listed below. SPECIFIC COMPUTER
BASED POINTS:- 15. Never, delete things from a Clients
computer before explaining fully what you are
going to do, asking their permission before you carry out any
deletion. If something Is deleted,
ensure you can restore it without
any problem, if later found it's really needed. 16. Never, say to a Client that some of the
software installed is a lot of rubbish if
this is your own personal view it's something to keep very much to
yourself! As there could valid
reasons why it's on the computer,
or came with this software pre-loaded! 17. If a person is visually impaired, ask
where you should position yourself, or the
computer monitor for maximum efficiency. 18. If your personal expertise doesn't run to
solving that particular
Client's problem, report the fact to your County Co-ordinator or
the Project Leader if none, so they can arrange for a different
Volunteer to visit, who might just have better luck? One Volunteer is
unlikely to have all information, to solve every problem that comes
up on hardware or software, so it's far more of a teamwork approach
to solve many situations Volunteers find! 19. Do remember other points made in our
Guidelines at various positions, for
your own protection and that of the Client:- Try to ensure a
friend of a female Client is in the house visiting, if you
are male Volunteer, when you are calling on a single person
living alone. As said at the
start, maybe many of you are experienced in this type of work, if so
this is for those not familiar with working with people with
disabilities. Your work as
Volunteers is greatly valued, so I give my great thanks to you all, I hope
you will enjoy your work and get much satisfaction from
working for many of the disabled community. |