Me again………………
Well, Maggie has moved Phoebe in and I think we are going to
be OK after all. There’s a photo of her
for you to see for yourselves. All along,
I wish I had been involved in the recruitment and selection process so that I
could have made some comment on whether I thought we could get on. After all, I am expected to share my space
with Phoebe – in the garden, on walks in the park and at the feeding station
but no, the decision was made by Guide Dogs and Maggie and I am expected to
just go along with it! It’s lucky I’m
such a tolerant fellow.
This is why I think it is such a good thing that Vision
Homes Association does involve service users in the recruitment of the staff
that will support them. Obviously not
everyone can, or wants to, spend several hours interviewing a series of [mostly
nervous] people but the opportunity to meet with a couple of those who gave the
best interview during a more informal ‘second interview’ is very useful. It lets service users gauge the candidates’
interpersonal skills and empathy, and check whether they have a sense of
humour. After all, if you are going to
have someone support you with personal care, you don’t want it to be someone
you instinctively feel uncomfortable with. The second interview is most often held over a
cup of tea - or maybe a pot of paint at the Loudwater Art and Sound Studio [www.loudwaterstudio.org]
- and allows the candidates an opportunity to be ‘themselves’.
The really good news at VHA is that one of the vacancies
left by the service user who so sadly passed away in May has now been taken by
a lady who needed to move out of her care home in Walsall rather quickly. In fact it was so quick that we heard about
her on Wednesday, and she moved on Friday!
It’s taken us all by surprise [especially Colleen, the Manager who was
away on holiday at the time and returned to find her installed!] as usually the
process of referral, assessment and fee negotiation takes very much
longer. But VHA is delighted to have
been able to help, and we all hope the newly arrived resident will be very,
very happy with her home and her support once she has had time to settle in a
get to know everyone. I haven’t been
over to meet her myself yet – I’m saving the best till last!!
As you know we are also open for business in providing
respite care for people who may need short breaks or a few hours of support
regularly or now and again, and it is also pleasing to be able to say that VHA
is beginning to receive more enquiries and to provide support of this nature. Hopefully this side of the business will
continue to grow.
Well, that’s all from me for now as I’m expecting Maggie and
Phoebe to come over to the office anytime now.
They have just completed their Guide Dog training and are licensed to
roam so no doubt they will be trying their skills on various routes. That’s the one thing Phoebe and I totally
agree on – we don’t like being left behind at home when everyone else is out…..
LOL
Ingmar xxx
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