Greg.See-Kee@f631.n712.z3.fidonet.org (Greg See-Kee) (06/28/90)
Index Number: 8948
GS>> Phone the local college or university.
CS> I have, but I've been given the run around.
I haven't heard of the results, but I have seen advertisements on
college noticeboards.
The one ad I did follow up, was about an Intense "Rolf"ing-type
program for a brain damage person coming out of a coma.
One of my clients - before my own accident - tried advertising in
the local newspaper. It worked, but there were many unsuitable
people too.
Other schemes - get the other attendants to find a friend/ family
member.
In Australia, we have well-developed home-nursing,
home-attendant schemes. It has full-time staff members who
sometimes are available for "unofficial" extra hours of work.
CS> How about:
CS> - previous experience
CS> - job references
CS> - personal references
CS> - reason for applying for the job
CS> - other commitments the person will have besides the job
CS> - what they expect from the job
I find that ex-mothers (children left/ taken-away, etc) to be
good. They are familiar with the caring role. Parents who
already have existing children tend to put you/ me into the role
that their dependent children have in relation to the parent.
Since I'm already grown-up, not a child, it hasn't worked very
well with existing parents of young children.
One unusual man I had as an aide preferred his duties - not
because he was "gay", or wanting to be a nurse/ doctor/ etc, but
because all the men in his family died in their early forties of
heart attack.
Normal was engaging in attendant work because it was physical
(healthy for the heart) and low stress. Of all my attendants, he
was the best and the most caring/ competent.
In my job with the Quadriplegic Association, I probably had
direct contact with about 100 attendants, as well as working in
very exceptional circumstances as an attendant.
In the five years after my accident, I have had direct end-user
experience with about fifteen attendants, but only one man
amongst them.
--
Uucp: ..!{decvax,oliveb}!bunker!hcap!hnews!3!712!631!Greg.See-Kee
Internet: Greg.See-Kee@f631.n712.z3.fidonet.org