Stations and handicaps

How many stations have you entered and found they are not disability friendly?

Personally, for me stairs have always been a problem but the times they have really been a problem is when the stations have no banister. This normally occurs when a certain station has more than one entrance or exit. For example, with Westminster station I would normally go one way into the station and I never changed it up.  However, one time when traveling with my mum I thought I would go into the station the way she would go in, but no matter how much I tried going down theses stairs I would struggle because the stairs were steep, uneven, the banister would stop half way down and the stairs would have tourists in the way taking pictures.

I face these challenges most of the time. Occasionally this can be made worse by having too many things in my hands or being unfocused on the day. This makes me less able to be hands free. These challenges have made me more vigilant over the years and I find it helpful to figure out my journey before I travel. It also helps me to gauge the type of stairs in advance so that I can build my confidence and walk down with ease.

Most times you may not overcome these challenges but one learns to accommodate for them. However, they can also take you by surprise and one might find that with practice they can get down the stairs with very little help. This for me does not happen that regularly but when it does it is very fulfilling.

So, if you struggle with something do not give up, keep going and hopefully one day you too will find more confidence with the challenges you face.

Written by Ellie, a valued member of the CLIA Care team

Loneliness experienced by disabled people

Two in five people living with disabilities experience loneliness, compared to 29% of the general population. A poll from the Belonging Forum had 14% of disabled people reporting having no close friends at all.

https://www.learningdisabilitytoday.co.uk/news/two-in-five-of-people-living-with-disabilities-experience-loneliness/

With the people we support at CLIA Care, we have seen that loneliness and lack of connection has a direct bearing on well being and mental health. With our shared supported living services, this is a source of social connection and bonding for people, and for housemates to be able to form genuine bonds and friendships.

What we also recognised from ideas generated by our staff is that we can also tap into the wider community of our organisation so we have multi-service BBQs, meals out, music sessions, and exercise sessions. This widens the pool of people each person can have an opportunity to socialise with, therefore increasing the chance of striking up a lasting friendship.

We also see though, it is harder for people with disabilities to make friendships as they have additional challenges to overcome. We always try and ask the question about what could make things more equitable. We want to see the people we support have thriving social and personal lives, but we also accept that requires ongoing work.

As a provider, we also turn to our communities, the provider network, to local authorities and to other stakeholders in search of ideas and promotion on active social opportunities. We think it is something that should always be on the agenda, and always being thought about.

We also think that sometimes it takes a bit of thinking outside the box for things to happen. We love the fact that there are dating agencies and specialist music nights for people with disabilities, and we try and promote this to the people we work with. Another way of support could be pets for people. Or, for someone who doesn’t want that commitment, perhaps going through an agency like ‘borrow my doggy’. Though there is a lot to be said about getting out of the house and meeting people in person, we think there is also space for online groups, for example, groups for people with autism. Even online, there can be a sense of camaraderie, swapping tips and mutual empathy and support.

Are you a stakeholder or someone who may be interested in this topic? If so, we would love to hear from you.

sohail.edwin@cliacare.com

Encouraging People to Care

There are many false perceptions about working in the care industry that we believe contribute to lack of adequate staffing in the sector.

It can be an incredibly difficult, yet underpaid job. (Many support worker wages start at £7 an hour, which is over £3 under the London Living Wage.)

There are, however, solid career trajectories for anyone entering the industry, even if they start without any qualifications. For instance, someone can start as a support worker; study for the Health and Social Care Level 2 qualification whilst working; rise to a senior level position and then even go onto manager a home.

Though working in care is reported to be one of the most fulfilling jobs, parents are still more likely to discourage their children from embarking on a career in care (Anchor Harvester Group research)*.

It’s also been reported that 35% of people would perceive caring as a ‘women’s career’, perhaps leading to the great deficit of males working in the industry. (As of 2018, only 18% of the care industry work force identify as male.)**

Carers are often humble people who do not broadcast the great work they do or indeed, the satisfaction they glean from it. Care work is still degraded in our society. This needs to change not only if we are going to encourage more hardworking people into the industry, but also if we are going to create more widespread care and understanding for those who require support.

* https://www.anchor.org.uk/media/social-care-sector-unites-warn-impending-workforce-crisis-and-raise-perception-care

** https://www.theguardian.com/society/2019/sep/30/social-care-career-myths-busted

Care at Christmas

Unlike in many other professions, carers don’t pause over Christmas.

In fact, our staff need to be more supportive than ever at this time of year.

Some of our tenants visit their families over the festive period. Others rely on our services to include them in the loving, joyful Christmas they deserve. Whether this means cooking a Christmas dinner or helping them to wrap gifts for their loved ones and housemates, our dedication to helping these individuals doesn’t pause.

Here’s to a fantastic Christmas here in Britain, for everyone.

And here’s to hoping that moving into a new decade, we’ll continue to treat people with learning disabilities with more awareness, understanding and above all, love.

Merry Christmas, from all at Clia Care.

Social Care Crisis

At CLIA Care, we hope that – whichever party gets a majority in government on Friday – social care will genuinely be a top priority for. Almost a decade of austerity and rising demand has taken a huge toll on statutory services.

There is currently a £2.5billion funding gap in adult social care. In the last 5 years there has been a £160 million cut in total public spending on older people’s social care. (This is despite a rapidly increasing demand because of our ageing population.)

A report last year commissioned by the NHS Confederation, and undertaken by the Institute for Fiscal Studies and The Health Foundation calculated that social care funding would need to increase by 3.9 per cent a year to meet the needs of an ageing population and an increasing number of younger adults with disabilities.*

The Labour Party is promising an average financial increase of 4.3% by 2023. We think their promise for a National Living Wage, and of cutting zero hour contracts, will mean more motivated and secure staff working in the care industry. And their promise of free personal care to the elderly is encouraging. The Conservatives are continuing progress with the NHS Long Term Plan which has a funding path of 3.4% financial increase over the next five years. 

We’re hopeful for a future where those in need here can get the right help, at the right time and in the right way.

*www.nhsconfed.org

Unseen Disability: Autism

Just because we can’t see a disability, doesn’t mean it’s not there. As not every disability is visible, at CLIA Care, we encourage people to remember to have patience in daily life. There are many adults we support with whom it’s not obvious they experience the world differently. 

For example, more than 700,000 adults are diagnosed with having ASD in the UK (that’s approximately 1 in 100 people). And, as the name suggests, Autism Spectrum Disorder is something that manifests in a variety of possible ways. One person might struggle to express emotions; another might have ritualistic behaviour patterns. People with autism can have difficulty processing information or understanding what certain facial expressions mean*. A result of this can lead to confusion or frustration.

Orpington Train Station support the ‘Not Every Disability is Visible’ campaign, 2019.

Additionally, ’sensory overload’ is a heightened sensation that someone on the autistic spectrum may experience from loud noises, bright lights or strong smells. As a result of this a shut down – physical or emotional – can occur.

It’s a sad fact that only 1 in 6 people in the UK on the ASD spectrum have full-time jobs. It’s important that we educate ourselves in all these unseen disabilities so that we can recognise and support those whom they effect.

‘What is Autism’ - The National Autistic Society https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lk4qs8jGN4U

Disability and Employment

There are 1.5 million people in the UK with a learning disability. Only 90,000 of these people are in paid employment in England*. That’s six percent. 

We believe that everyone should have the opportunity to be employed. CLIA Care have had the pleasure of Eleanor Welby as a part-time Admin Assistant for the last year. Below she writes about her experience, and the perception of disability in society.

*NHS Digital 2018

In the early twentieth century a lot of people believed that anyone disabled or deficient would be a threat to the health of the nation. The aim was to eliminate human physical and mental defects altogether in order to build a better society. People with disabilities would be segregated from everyone else in the name of perfecting the human race.

The return home of ex-servicemen from World War I did challenge the idea that disabled people were a burden, but they continued to face social rejection, discriminatory employment practices, architectural barriers and lack of accessibility to transport. 

I have been working in disability for around seven years, volunteering in schools and now in my first paid role at the care home. Having these jobs has been a confidence-builder for me. Even though it brings challenges, it has also been rewarding and enjoyable. I’m very happy to say that having these jobs has been one of the best decisions of my life. 

Listen to Ellie and her family discussing disability for BBC podcast, here.

Supported Living

There are many individuals with learning disabilities living in residential care homes who are far more able than their environment allows. How are people supposed to grow and develop if there are restrictions in their daily living? For many of those in residential settings, activities are chosen for them, meals are cooked for them; their beds are made by others. There are some people for whom it’s believed: this is the only way life can be. 

Supported living offers individuals a chance to expand their horizons. Most supported living accommodation is embedded within a community, offering people the opportunity to engage with the local services and all the people they find there. Individuals are supported to manage their own finances, decide on their weekly diet and plan to realise their ambitions. With individual goal-setting, people are encouraged to enrol in education, voluntary work and sometimes even employment.

It’s not surprising that Supported Living accommodation has multiplied dramatically in the last decade. Whilst being a more cost-effective option for councils, this service model truly enables people with learning disabilities to be active participants in society.