We're Dealing with People's Lives Here!

In my many years experience working in the field of social care, I have come across some situations that would make your toes curl. Some situations that were downright appalling and abusive. Situations where the quality of care, was non-existent.

I would say, on the whole, that when it comes to front-line staff I have deducted a foolproof (pardon the pun), formula for the make up of staff. Basically, take the average IQ of a society.....then deduct approximately 20. Scary huh.

Reminds me of a really good put down I once heard. Goes something like this,'...Can I get the blueprint to your brain....cos I'm building a fuck wit...'

Good social care workers are like gold dust. Keeping them motivated in their job is a managerial nightmare.

My sense of humour keeps me going. I laugh at the idiotic questions, responses, and general ineptitude of workers. I laugh while secretly being dismayed at the lack of initiative and standard of care. I try to not think about the fact that a close family member was probably subjected to a standard of care that was rushed and lacked the humanity that is so, so necessary. Something as small as the stroke of someones hair, the gentle touch of their hand to show that you care. Maybe when their relatives seem not to care.

I started out working with aged people. I shudder at the 'production line' care that I was trained to give. Time restraints and under-staffing meant that those poor people were subjected to rushed care. I rebelled to some extent, taking more time when getting people ready for their day. Alas, a belligerently stubborn hierarchy would forgo my approach, in favour of a tragically efficient routine, which meant that people were given less choice, less care, less humanity.

I moved on to learning disabilities, working for government run group of residential care homes. I ended up working for a power-hungry manager who was abusive to both staff and tenants. Am glad I worked in that environment, because I always gauge my managerial performance against that twit of a manager.

Anyhow.

I have been beaten up, beaten down, chased up a street on New Years Eve, while trying to dial 000 (Oz emergency number), kicked, stabbed, had hard objects thrown at me, called a bitch, slut, cunt, and Aussie cunt (a favourite of mine). And you reckon I've had enough? Not a chance. Cause when it all blows over, these guys need people to support them. I'm no mater. I get frustrated like anyone else. And when something works.....like a breakthrough where someone learns a new skill, well the rewards are immeasurable.

So, it irks me, that front-line staff lack the initiative to think outside the box. When a tenant/client raises their voice, it is branded as 'challenging behaviour'. "Ooh....lets get the aggressive disabled person on a behaviour modification programme..." So I'm faced with 'trigger happy' staff who take offense when being called a 'bitch'. ???? I take issue with this.

God....I could go on forever, but no doubt will return again and again to this topic. To end on a light note. An agency staff member rang me at home yesterday morning...at 0745 hrs, to ask me whether she should call an ambulance or the police, because a female tenant had been slapping herself very hard in the face. My response?

Preston : Has she knocked herself out?

Agency worker : No

Preston : Does she want to press charges against herself?

Agency worker : No

Then my guess is you don't need an ambulance or the police.

True story.

Stay tuned for more to come soon.