This is how most of us may understand information.
Ask people how they want their information written.
Don't talk too fast.
Slow down if you do talk too fast.
Explain things slowly.
Use Lateral language.
Meaning tone and body language.
Sign language for the death.
Brail for the blind.
Using gestures expression give visual cludes about what you are saying.
Lean Makaton signing.
Not everything is accessible to people's needs and wants.
Accessible information takes time but it is really important.
One size does not fit all.
The most important thing about making information accessible is the people that use it.
Does the person need LARGER PRINT?
Would photos, pictures or and symbols help the person understand information better?
Before taking pictures of building ask staff, managers or and etc first.
Would the person find it easier to access information by watching DVDs or CDs with may be a book to follow the information with the right support if needed?
Never think that every person understands information the same. The best person to ask is the people themselves.
There seems to be a lack of communication and understanding between people with learning disabilities and Service providers. Service providers don't always understand people with learning disabilities. Too much information is hard, people can use too much jargon and language that confuses us.
In the terms of everyday life we are seen as a Health and Safety Hazard to employers and even to the rest of society, with the right support, we should be able to work like other people. Most of us may well be a Health and Safety Hazard but we are also creative people. Most of us can't work fast enough for an employer, if we get the right support this could be balanced. Not all of us can use computers but we have different skills and abilities like all people. These are some of the mistakes most employers make.
We need better face to face contact with people around us.
Better communication.
We need to be more valued by people.
People should be more well mannered towards us, for eg; the tone of people's voices.
How people speak and what they say make them misunderstood like all people.
individualised service.
Think of how you can make information more clear for people with learning disabilities
Most people can't read but even most people who can read can find it hard to take information in.
Keep sentences, words short and as less words as you can.
Headings, titles and important things are better off written in bold size 22, which is bigger than the rest of the text. ( 14 to 20 the rest of the text.)
Some computers don't have as many tools to make information accessible so your writing may have to be written in capital letters and large print to suit most people's needs.
Making information accessible is about making it easier to read and understand.
There different ways to do accessible information for different people.
Using less words.
Making information easy to find.
Using photograph's
Using a "bud dying system," where people have someone to help them go through information with them or ask questions.
Comic San, Ariel or FS Mencap can be bought.
Don't use words that only specialist would understand or acronyms. This means shortening words to a few letters.
Some people want clear coloured with different ink on different coloured paper.
Font 14 - 20 text, headings centred, underlined, bold and size 18 -24.
Most pictures are hard to get hold of so bullet points or numbers may help most of us.
Useful websites that could help you make information accessible to people's needs and wants
WWW.plainenglish.co.uk www.mencap.org.uk www.officefordisability.gov.uk thesaurus.com dictionary.com. ( I know it's not always easy or possible but please try to make words as short as you can, thank you.)
Most people in Wolverhampton have told us that they find photographs easier to understand than pictures ans symbols, which should be your nouns people, places and objects.
Sent information out in at least four weeks before appointments and meeting so people can be ready in plenty of time. This will give people time to understand information and ask for help if they need to.
Think about using a symbol or statement at the end of your information so people can get help to understand the information, if they need it.
You can't always suit people's needs when you are typing information for them but you can support them to read or and understand the information you write but please do your best to make it as accessible as possible, thank you.
BEHALF OF OUR SELF-ADVOCACY GROUPS OUR SHOUT AND OUR TALK.
People with learning disabilities need more time to speak and to be listened to. People without disabilities won't learn their job if they don't listen to people with disabilities. If people with disabilities aren't listened to, then people without disabilities are in the wrong job. Most of us take longer to be understood than other people. People with disabilities are the experts.
PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES ARE ALL DIFFERENT TOO.
Except anything off people with disabilities like we except anything of you.
Just like all of you are, every person with a learning disability is a different person.
Every person with a disability has different disabilities.
Don't except people with the same disability or and same Mental Health problems to find the same things hard. We are all different as human beings whether we have disabilities or not. 3rd May 2010
Friday, 16 April 2010
Friday, 9 April 2010
UP DATE ON AUTISM.
The truth is I was never really diagnosed for my Autism.
Many people have asked me. How do I know if I have got Autism?
Bare in mind just over 40 years ago it was an unknown world.
May be I don't have Autism but over the years my family have watch films, read things and watched me cope with my disabilities.
I would like to get diagnosed for once and for all by a doctor whether they will do it after all those years or not I will just have accept that I will never find out for sure.
In those days, it was very hard for families, they still had to work long hours just like families always have done for non disabled children.
There weren't any benefit in those days.
My Mum was only 17 yrs old when she had me.
Nappies were Terry toweling, which she washed until I was five yrs old.
As a child I was fourteen mouths old until I could walked but I couldn't balance very good.
I found it hard to be interested in games with children but I very much made my own games up in my own little world.
I played and talked to my dolls and soft toys.
I never slept at night I just used to cry for hours until I cried myself to sleep. I felt scared of the noses outside on the streets for eg; barking dogs.
When stories were read to me I believed in them, I used to fear the big bad wolf jumping out of my wardrobe.
The family always said I was never very good at affection, which was a lack of eye contact.
In those days no one really knew what Autism was or any disability for that matter.
You just got on with live because you didn't know anything else.
Disabilities weren't known for sure but people always noticed when some people more problems than others but never sure what.
It was almost as if the world was mad at me people didn't understand me.
This made me feel guilty and hated by the world and society.
I used to feel mad with myself not understanding why I was like I was.
I never whether to blame myself for what I couldn't cope or people around me not understanding me. This caused a lack of communication and understanding.
It felt as if was very much disliked because I knew I couldn't seem to please anyone.
There again I am not saying that every fault I have boils down to my disability because each and every one of us has faults.
There are naughty children but back then children then we didn't get away with it.
I used to be on the go all night long but found it very hard to pay at tension in the day, like in school for example, that's why I left school having learned nothing at all.
The cause of having these problems could be the heavy medication I was on at the time and too much sugar and salt in my diet, which we knew very little about back then.
Health staff, families and carers should keep an eye on how the side - affects of medication is affecting people.
Everyone should work as a team to support people if and when they need it but at the same time don't over protect them.
Let people get on with things they can manage but support and teach them how to manage more, give them time to learn.
Tomorrow or another day is another day if it's a bad today.
Keep going until they get there, they will carry on if they want to learn.
If you give up they will.
They will be very upset if you give up on them.
Here's balance for you.
This caused me to be aggressive, kick, lash out, pinch, bit, hit and scream at any time i felt angry.
I believe the medication I was on at that time made me the human being I was.
Myself and my family have said that those tablets back then were far too strong for me.
I think I was on 300 to 500mgs 1 tablet three times a day.
They were also very dangerous tablets, which slowed my awareness down.
Even at the age of ten to twelve I couldn't be out doors on the streets alone, I had no road sense or any direction awareness and I was a danger to myself and people without meaning to be.
People thought I was a danger on purpose.
Without knowing I was going to change, I came off the age of 13, my fits stopped well for 20yrs but little did we know when I came off those tablets.
All of a sudden, slowly I started to be aware of what was going on around me.
My behavior problems started to calm down, I slept better, I started to learn better.
Learning to be safe getting out and about on my own.
This is why I think those tablets affected my life more so than my disabilities.
I became very angry if I couldn't communication.
Everyone seemed to know better than me.
It seemed as if the whole world was clever and I was useless.
One day I learned that I am just a very slow learner and I am not the only one with learning disabilities.
I suffered from bladder and bowl problems, no one understood why.
Even today my bladder is still the same.
I can't seem to make it to the toilet quick enough.
I was in nappies until age of five.
Now that I am lot older I have started Tena Lady,it helps a bit but not much.
People tend to think only because I can walk and talk, I don't have these problems.
We are still trying raise awareness of these things the don't see.
I have a very slight problem with my speech but not much.
When it came to the start of adulthood, I spent five years in a living in job at Camnant Mid Wales New town Powys looking after animals and I also passed a few exams.
I went on to college and I have been on my schemes over the years, plus signing on for 13 yrs.
Now I am helping out with Mencap and Employment Pathways is support me and two other people to have our business.
We are called Access All Areas Now! We are learning disability awareness training service we train services to understand and to be aware of what to except of learning disability.
We hope one day we will create a service to support people with disabilities in all areas of life.
Autism is a life time disability, there are all kinds of Autism.
No one knows what causes Autism but my Mum was neglected at the birth, they called it lack of Oxygen to my brain.
I had fit's, I have dyslexic and I could have Dyspraxia Developmental Co-ordition disorder.
I can't grip very well with my hands, not very good with motor skills riding a bike, driving a car, can't skip and things like that.
Autism is very common these days than it ever was before.
There are 1 in 100 people with Autism, it affect men more than woman I have heard.
Autism can be a communication and social problem, it's so easy to get misunderstood by people.
We can find it hard to understand the danger around us even though I am getting better than I was. b.i.r.d.org,uk or call to either support other children with Autism or may be you know some children with Autism.
If you have any comments you are welcome to email me on sarajgorman@googlemail.com or a send me a message on Facebook. WWW.autism.org.uk/
Many people have asked me. How do I know if I have got Autism?
Bare in mind just over 40 years ago it was an unknown world.
May be I don't have Autism but over the years my family have watch films, read things and watched me cope with my disabilities.
I would like to get diagnosed for once and for all by a doctor whether they will do it after all those years or not I will just have accept that I will never find out for sure.
In those days, it was very hard for families, they still had to work long hours just like families always have done for non disabled children.
There weren't any benefit in those days.
My Mum was only 17 yrs old when she had me.
Nappies were Terry toweling, which she washed until I was five yrs old.
As a child I was fourteen mouths old until I could walked but I couldn't balance very good.
I found it hard to be interested in games with children but I very much made my own games up in my own little world.
I played and talked to my dolls and soft toys.
I never slept at night I just used to cry for hours until I cried myself to sleep. I felt scared of the noses outside on the streets for eg; barking dogs.
When stories were read to me I believed in them, I used to fear the big bad wolf jumping out of my wardrobe.
The family always said I was never very good at affection, which was a lack of eye contact.
In those days no one really knew what Autism was or any disability for that matter.
You just got on with live because you didn't know anything else.
Disabilities weren't known for sure but people always noticed when some people more problems than others but never sure what.
It was almost as if the world was mad at me people didn't understand me.
This made me feel guilty and hated by the world and society.
I used to feel mad with myself not understanding why I was like I was.
I never whether to blame myself for what I couldn't cope or people around me not understanding me. This caused a lack of communication and understanding.
It felt as if was very much disliked because I knew I couldn't seem to please anyone.
There again I am not saying that every fault I have boils down to my disability because each and every one of us has faults.
There are naughty children but back then children then we didn't get away with it.
I used to be on the go all night long but found it very hard to pay at tension in the day, like in school for example, that's why I left school having learned nothing at all.
The cause of having these problems could be the heavy medication I was on at the time and too much sugar and salt in my diet, which we knew very little about back then.
Health staff, families and carers should keep an eye on how the side - affects of medication is affecting people.
Everyone should work as a team to support people if and when they need it but at the same time don't over protect them.
Let people get on with things they can manage but support and teach them how to manage more, give them time to learn.
Tomorrow or another day is another day if it's a bad today.
Keep going until they get there, they will carry on if they want to learn.
If you give up they will.
They will be very upset if you give up on them.
Here's balance for you.
This caused me to be aggressive, kick, lash out, pinch, bit, hit and scream at any time i felt angry.
I believe the medication I was on at that time made me the human being I was.
Myself and my family have said that those tablets back then were far too strong for me.
I think I was on 300 to 500mgs 1 tablet three times a day.
They were also very dangerous tablets, which slowed my awareness down.
Even at the age of ten to twelve I couldn't be out doors on the streets alone, I had no road sense or any direction awareness and I was a danger to myself and people without meaning to be.
People thought I was a danger on purpose.
Without knowing I was going to change, I came off the age of 13, my fits stopped well for 20yrs but little did we know when I came off those tablets.
All of a sudden, slowly I started to be aware of what was going on around me.
My behavior problems started to calm down, I slept better, I started to learn better.
Learning to be safe getting out and about on my own.
This is why I think those tablets affected my life more so than my disabilities.
I became very angry if I couldn't communication.
Everyone seemed to know better than me.
It seemed as if the whole world was clever and I was useless.
One day I learned that I am just a very slow learner and I am not the only one with learning disabilities.
I suffered from bladder and bowl problems, no one understood why.
Even today my bladder is still the same.
I can't seem to make it to the toilet quick enough.
I was in nappies until age of five.
Now that I am lot older I have started Tena Lady,it helps a bit but not much.
People tend to think only because I can walk and talk, I don't have these problems.
We are still trying raise awareness of these things the don't see.
I have a very slight problem with my speech but not much.
When it came to the start of adulthood, I spent five years in a living in job at Camnant Mid Wales New town Powys looking after animals and I also passed a few exams.
I went on to college and I have been on my schemes over the years, plus signing on for 13 yrs.
Now I am helping out with Mencap and Employment Pathways is support me and two other people to have our business.
We are called Access All Areas Now! We are learning disability awareness training service we train services to understand and to be aware of what to except of learning disability.
We hope one day we will create a service to support people with disabilities in all areas of life.
Autism is a life time disability, there are all kinds of Autism.
No one knows what causes Autism but my Mum was neglected at the birth, they called it lack of Oxygen to my brain.
I had fit's, I have dyslexic and I could have Dyspraxia Developmental Co-ordition disorder.
I can't grip very well with my hands, not very good with motor skills riding a bike, driving a car, can't skip and things like that.
Autism is very common these days than it ever was before.
There are 1 in 100 people with Autism, it affect men more than woman I have heard.
Autism can be a communication and social problem, it's so easy to get misunderstood by people.
We can find it hard to understand the danger around us even though I am getting better than I was. b.i.r.d.org,uk or call to either support other children with Autism or may be you know some children with Autism.
If you have any comments you are welcome to email me on sarajgorman@googlemail.com or a send me a message on Facebook. WWW.autism.org.uk/
Sunday, 4 April 2010
Learning Disability week Health 2010
LEARNING DISABILITY AND HEALTH AWARENESS TRAINING PACKAGE.
ACCESS ALL AREAS NOW!
LEARNING DISABILITY AWARENESS TRAINING BY SARA GORMAN, JESSICA BROMLEY AND ANDY HOWELL ON LEARNING DISABILITY HEALTH WEEK 2010,
ON MONDAY 21ST JUNE 2010
Me and Jess will Introduce Andy Howell As our Volunteer on work experience until he get's Self employed. ANDY will be reading a bit about himself in his daft hand writing.
SARA'S INTRODUCTION
In 2008, I wrote a play on how hard it is for people with LD to access work.
In March 2009, I went on a script and screen course to better my writing.
Near to Christmas 2009, I helped Royal Mencap Wolverhampton set up a Disabled writer's group.
I have set up my own business called Access All Areas Now! which can help me raise awareness of learning disability issues.
JESSICA'S INTRODUCTION.
Hi, I am Jessica, I have a learning disability.
I like modelling. I have done 2 runaway shows in the region.
I have been in the Sunday Times as a style st.
In 2009, I traveled to Bulgaria to work with children and adults with Ld.
SARA TALKS ABOUT AIMS AND TARGETS.
To learn what learning disabilities.
To learn about clear information.
WE be raising awareness of health of learning disability.
We understand that not all Health staff in the world will be at our Training session so this Training pack is on my website for all people working in the health of learning disability.
However, if you do work in health, I would like you to send me an email to comment, give your views and tell me what you have learned if anything on this website. Thank you. sarajgorman@googlemail.com
Please tell me in an email what the word learning disability means to you.
DEFINITION
VALUING PEOPLE NOW! IS A NEW PLAN FOR LEARNING DISABILITY IN THE 21 CENTURY.
Valuing PEOPLE NOW! Say learning disability is.
Reduced ability to understand complex information, to learn more skills, to reduce ability to cope doing things without one's support with social functioning and which started before adulthood, with last effect development.
LEARNING DISABILITY.
Learning disability label is a useful purposes, but people with LD always come first.All people wear that label. A label that describes one part of a person but does not capture the whole person.
FACTS 1
LD is how the brain works.
There are many causes of LD but most happen before, during and after a baby is born.
LD can also happen in a injury, illness and may be through diseases.
FACTS 2
A child can be born with LD if certain genes are passed on by a parent.
Downs Syndrome.
Fragile x Syndrome.
Autism Spectrum.
FACTS 3
There are 1.5 million people living with LD in the UK.
Like all people we want different things in our lives but we have different levels of support needs that we need the right support for.
FACTS 4
Most people with LD are treated different to people without, which shouldn't be the case.
We don't have the same choices and control as the rest of society, this needs to get better.
You will come across choice and control in your work, which is the Person centre plan (PCP). You can learn about choice and control from Jill Coleman who is the project manager of a company called Macintyre. Please contract 07825 620339 jill.coleman@macintycharity.org
People with LD face discrimination every day, which is law.
FACTS 5
People with LD are 58 times likely to die under the age of 50 than people without.
80% of Health staff are not trained to treat People with LD.
COMMUNICATION 1
Health is one of all areas of life we raise awareness about. This is why we set up Access All Areas Now! There's a lack of communication and understanding between people with LD and Health staff.
Some if not most people with LD have problems communicating in all and different ways.
Gestures, communication aids and behaviours to let you know what's wrong.
COMMUNICATION 2
SOME WAYS PEOPLE CAN COMMUNICATE.
Using their face.
Making a noise.
Changing their behaviour.
USING speech, symbols and signs.
COMMUNICATION 3 IMPORTANT
MOST PEOPLE WITH LD AVOID HEALTH SERVICES DUE TO A LACK OF COMMUNICATION, UNDERSTANDING AND TREATMENT.
COMMUNICATION 4 IT'S IMPORTANT TO.
To speak clearly and slowly.
Listen to people with LD and the people who support them.
Find out how people communicate.
Use photo symbols.
CONSIDER THE MENTAL CAPACITY AND LEARNING DISABILITY DISCRIMINATION ACT. THIS IS LAW !!!!!!!
HEALTH STAFF NEED TO FIND OUT AND LEARN ABOUT THE HEALTH ACTION PLAN.
IF YOU GET IT RIGHT FOR PEOPLE WITH LD, YOU WILL GET IT RIGHT FOR EVERYONE.
I WOULD LIKE TO SAY THAT YOU ARE WELCOME TO READ THIS WEBSITE IF YOU WANT TO. IF YOU WORK IN THE HEALTH PROFESSION, I WOULD LIKE TO HEAR FROM YOU, IF YOU ARE READING MY HEALTH REPORTS. PLEASE EMAIL ME ON sarajgorman@googlemail.com. THANK YOU. PLEASE MAKE ANY COMMENTS VIEWS AND TELL ME WHAT YOU HAVE LEARNED IF YOU HAVE. TELL ME WHAT YOU WANT TO ABOUT THE HEALTH OF LD.I HOPE YOU WILL LEARN A LOT ABOUT THE HEALTH OF LD ON MY HEALTH REPORTS ON MY WEBSITE. IS THE HEALTH OF LEARNING DISABILITY FIELD FOR? OR NOT? IF SO YOU HAVE A LOT OF HARD WORK TO DO AND LEARN AS WE ARE MORE VULNERABLE TO OUR HEALTH THAN PEOPLE WITHOUT LD ARE. JUST A REMINDER OF THIS WEBSITE sararevealed.blogspot.com/
'ACCESS ALL AREAS NOW!'
NOW WE ARE ACCESS ALL AREAS NOW!`
WE WANT TO TRAIN ALL PEOPLE TO UNDERSTAND WHAT PEOPLE WITH LEARNING DISABILITIES CAN DO GIVEN THE CHANCE LIKE EVERYONE.
FOR INFORMATION PLEASE CONTRACT SARA GORMAN/JESSICA BROMLEY 0777183653.
DAVE PIKE OUR WORK SUPPORTER WILL BE TAKING OUR CALLS AS WE HAVE NOT GOT ANY BUSINESS PHONES JUST YET.
Health has been chosen for learning disability because of the Death
Indifference report 2007.
Health is important but the health in people with LD and Health problems are twice as important.
This is because a lot of us with learning disabilities have got Health problems linked to our disabilities anyway so many of us need more support looking after our health. Health problems and LD come together it can be one or the other in some people.
Not all of us get support or some of us don't get enough of it.
On the other hand we need a balance between support and independent as much as people without learning disabilities.
If information is easy for us to read and understand then we may be able to read and understand it without help.
Some of us can't read so we may need more of pictures than writing that tells us what we need to understand.
In the case of health for eg; there might be a people with disabilities and Health who don't have support. Some medications may have dangerous side effects or people may over dose themselves by mistake if the information isn't clear enough for them for read and understand. PLEASE BE AWARE OF THAT!
He or she may not understand the GP'S handwriting they may need large print and pictures typed up on the computer.
There needs to be a clear diet and exercise plan for people with learning disabilities with easy words and pictures.
Diet isn't just about losing weight.
People with different disabilities and Health problems can only eat and drink certain drinks and foods due to the conditions, illnesses and etc we may have.
This can be very confusing for people with learning disabilities mainly when we need to lose weight and if we have Health problems as well so GPS need to type out accessible diet sheets to help people with disabilities eat and exercise more healthy.
If someone hasn't got any, not enough or even the right support it can be very hard for them to do what they are advised to do, this is why things need to be set out as easy as possible for us.
There needs to be more education in schools and colleges for young people and adults with and without learning disabilities to educate and train people with LD to cook and eat healthy food and exercise.
People with learning disabilities and Health problems have to cope with Stress too.
Stress is one of the worse killers today, there seems to be a lot of stress today for everyone over one thing or another.
Many people turn to things bad for their health due to stress for eg; smoking. It can be hard for a lot of people to accept things that they don't want to live with as it is. Bad news is bad enough as it is without it been confusing and stressful.
If we lose something or someone in our live we don't want to lose. Whether like it or not it happens. It's bad enough for people without LD but the stress can make people with Ld more ill. Another example is relationship break ups, family break ups and etc.
I am not saying that people without disabilities don't stuffer their problems but people with disabilities have our own stresses without anything on our minds, that's own learning disabilities and Health problems things on our minds on top of the problems all people have, can make life even harder to cope with.
We don't except any magic wands but we need more understanding and support to cope with our lives. Thank you.
Back in 1991, my favorite singer Freddie Mercury from Queen died of a Sexual disease called Aids.
I know he didn't have learning disabilities but there's still isn't enough awareness about Sexual diseases in people with learning disabilities.
I am sure Freddie would have liked people with LD and Health problems to get a lot of support for our Sexual Health as much as people without.
Whether we have LD or not we all have feelings.
Freddie was just as ill as people with Ld would be.
There again what people need to understand due to our life Health problems. Other illnesses everyone can have, people with LD can be twice as ill as people without LD. It could make us die quicker because of our LD and the Health problems we may have already.
There needs to be more education on Sexual health that's accessible in schools and colleges.
It can be hard enough teaching young people as it is why education on health is important but people with learning disabilities are slower learners so many of us may need more support to learn.
For eg; some people may not understand why we are advised to use condoms and may even have problems putting them on, mainly if we have problems with our hands.In my case with problems griping, without been personal I am lucky that I have had partners who knew how to put them on.
There still needs to be more education on choices, pregnancy, conception, support and etc.
In March 2009, Jade Goody died of Cervical cancer, this is just an example of many young people who have died of cancer.
I want to raise awareness of Cervical cancer.
We all know it's right to have Smears to get ourselves checked out.
Many women could be scared of having Swears if they have suffered rape and Sexual abuse at any time during our lives. This can have the same big affects on our lives as much females without LD.
May be counseling should be advised to females if they fear swears due to the bad experiences we may have had. Most of us may feel as if we can't go through smears so there needs be support for us to cope with our fears.
Information should be accessible for all females not just females with learning disabilities mainly when we have been through rape and Sexual abuse at any time during our lives, this can put a big affect on any female's life, body and mind. We understand males have suffered sexual abuse and rape as well, which we must raise awareness of these kind of things for males with and without LD.
There's still not enough awareness of people with learning disabilities who have cancer.
I had cancer of the throat at the age of 23, even though I was very lucky it didn't spread to any other part of my body but even though the treatment knocked me about I was lucky to get better. Here's a person LD who didn't better from cancer but could if Health staff looked after better. I don't think they looked after her at all.
Emma who was written about in the Death Indifference report in 2007 had cancer. She died because she died unnecessary because she didn't respond to the treatment the doctor was giving her, due the fact she found it hard to communicate. May be there could have been a chance that Emma's cancer could have been cured.
There's still a 50/50 chance that people can pull through cancer.
It seemed as if the doctors couldn't be bothered with Emma because of her learning disabilities. The doctors needed to try a lot harder to save Emma.
Access All Areas Now! will be playing a DVD of what we have been through with our Health and Health staff who should have looked after us more. This Play is done by a Self Advocacy group support by Mencap called Our Shout, which myself, Andy and Jess are apart of.
Myself, Jessica, ( Andy?) from Access All Areas Now! will be giving you a free training session on raising raising awareness of Learning Disability and Health.
ACCESS ALL AREAS NOW!
LEARNING DISABILITY AWARENESS TRAINING BY SARA GORMAN, JESSICA BROMLEY AND ANDY HOWELL ON LEARNING DISABILITY HEALTH WEEK 2010,
ON MONDAY 21ST JUNE 2010
Me and Jess will Introduce Andy Howell As our Volunteer on work experience until he get's Self employed. ANDY will be reading a bit about himself in his daft hand writing.
SARA'S INTRODUCTION
In 2008, I wrote a play on how hard it is for people with LD to access work.
In March 2009, I went on a script and screen course to better my writing.
Near to Christmas 2009, I helped Royal Mencap Wolverhampton set up a Disabled writer's group.
I have set up my own business called Access All Areas Now! which can help me raise awareness of learning disability issues.
JESSICA'S INTRODUCTION.
Hi, I am Jessica, I have a learning disability.
I like modelling. I have done 2 runaway shows in the region.
I have been in the Sunday Times as a style st.
In 2009, I traveled to Bulgaria to work with children and adults with Ld.
SARA TALKS ABOUT AIMS AND TARGETS.
To learn what learning disabilities.
To learn about clear information.
WE be raising awareness of health of learning disability.
We understand that not all Health staff in the world will be at our Training session so this Training pack is on my website for all people working in the health of learning disability.
However, if you do work in health, I would like you to send me an email to comment, give your views and tell me what you have learned if anything on this website. Thank you. sarajgorman@googlemail.com
Please tell me in an email what the word learning disability means to you.
DEFINITION
VALUING PEOPLE NOW! IS A NEW PLAN FOR LEARNING DISABILITY IN THE 21 CENTURY.
Valuing PEOPLE NOW! Say learning disability is.
Reduced ability to understand complex information, to learn more skills, to reduce ability to cope doing things without one's support with social functioning and which started before adulthood, with last effect development.
LEARNING DISABILITY.
Learning disability label is a useful purposes, but people with LD always come first.All people wear that label. A label that describes one part of a person but does not capture the whole person.
FACTS 1
LD is how the brain works.
There are many causes of LD but most happen before, during and after a baby is born.
LD can also happen in a injury, illness and may be through diseases.
FACTS 2
A child can be born with LD if certain genes are passed on by a parent.
Downs Syndrome.
Fragile x Syndrome.
Autism Spectrum.
FACTS 3
There are 1.5 million people living with LD in the UK.
Like all people we want different things in our lives but we have different levels of support needs that we need the right support for.
FACTS 4
Most people with LD are treated different to people without, which shouldn't be the case.
We don't have the same choices and control as the rest of society, this needs to get better.
You will come across choice and control in your work, which is the Person centre plan (PCP). You can learn about choice and control from Jill Coleman who is the project manager of a company called Macintyre. Please contract 07825 620339 jill.coleman@macintycharity.org
People with LD face discrimination every day, which is law.
FACTS 5
People with LD are 58 times likely to die under the age of 50 than people without.
80% of Health staff are not trained to treat People with LD.
COMMUNICATION 1
Health is one of all areas of life we raise awareness about. This is why we set up Access All Areas Now! There's a lack of communication and understanding between people with LD and Health staff.
Some if not most people with LD have problems communicating in all and different ways.
Gestures, communication aids and behaviours to let you know what's wrong.
COMMUNICATION 2
SOME WAYS PEOPLE CAN COMMUNICATE.
Using their face.
Making a noise.
Changing their behaviour.
USING speech, symbols and signs.
COMMUNICATION 3 IMPORTANT
MOST PEOPLE WITH LD AVOID HEALTH SERVICES DUE TO A LACK OF COMMUNICATION, UNDERSTANDING AND TREATMENT.
COMMUNICATION 4 IT'S IMPORTANT TO.
To speak clearly and slowly.
Listen to people with LD and the people who support them.
Find out how people communicate.
Use photo symbols.
CONSIDER THE MENTAL CAPACITY AND LEARNING DISABILITY DISCRIMINATION ACT. THIS IS LAW !!!!!!!
HEALTH STAFF NEED TO FIND OUT AND LEARN ABOUT THE HEALTH ACTION PLAN.
IF YOU GET IT RIGHT FOR PEOPLE WITH LD, YOU WILL GET IT RIGHT FOR EVERYONE.
I WOULD LIKE TO SAY THAT YOU ARE WELCOME TO READ THIS WEBSITE IF YOU WANT TO. IF YOU WORK IN THE HEALTH PROFESSION, I WOULD LIKE TO HEAR FROM YOU, IF YOU ARE READING MY HEALTH REPORTS. PLEASE EMAIL ME ON sarajgorman@googlemail.com. THANK YOU. PLEASE MAKE ANY COMMENTS VIEWS AND TELL ME WHAT YOU HAVE LEARNED IF YOU HAVE. TELL ME WHAT YOU WANT TO ABOUT THE HEALTH OF LD.I HOPE YOU WILL LEARN A LOT ABOUT THE HEALTH OF LD ON MY HEALTH REPORTS ON MY WEBSITE. IS THE HEALTH OF LEARNING DISABILITY FIELD FOR? OR NOT? IF SO YOU HAVE A LOT OF HARD WORK TO DO AND LEARN AS WE ARE MORE VULNERABLE TO OUR HEALTH THAN PEOPLE WITHOUT LD ARE. JUST A REMINDER OF THIS WEBSITE sararevealed.blogspot.com/
'ACCESS ALL AREAS NOW!'
NOW WE ARE ACCESS ALL AREAS NOW!`
WE WANT TO TRAIN ALL PEOPLE TO UNDERSTAND WHAT PEOPLE WITH LEARNING DISABILITIES CAN DO GIVEN THE CHANCE LIKE EVERYONE.
FOR INFORMATION PLEASE CONTRACT SARA GORMAN/JESSICA BROMLEY 0777183653.
DAVE PIKE OUR WORK SUPPORTER WILL BE TAKING OUR CALLS AS WE HAVE NOT GOT ANY BUSINESS PHONES JUST YET.
Health has been chosen for learning disability because of the Death
Indifference report 2007.
Health is important but the health in people with LD and Health problems are twice as important.
This is because a lot of us with learning disabilities have got Health problems linked to our disabilities anyway so many of us need more support looking after our health. Health problems and LD come together it can be one or the other in some people.
Not all of us get support or some of us don't get enough of it.
On the other hand we need a balance between support and independent as much as people without learning disabilities.
If information is easy for us to read and understand then we may be able to read and understand it without help.
Some of us can't read so we may need more of pictures than writing that tells us what we need to understand.
In the case of health for eg; there might be a people with disabilities and Health who don't have support. Some medications may have dangerous side effects or people may over dose themselves by mistake if the information isn't clear enough for them for read and understand. PLEASE BE AWARE OF THAT!
He or she may not understand the GP'S handwriting they may need large print and pictures typed up on the computer.
There needs to be a clear diet and exercise plan for people with learning disabilities with easy words and pictures.
Diet isn't just about losing weight.
People with different disabilities and Health problems can only eat and drink certain drinks and foods due to the conditions, illnesses and etc we may have.
This can be very confusing for people with learning disabilities mainly when we need to lose weight and if we have Health problems as well so GPS need to type out accessible diet sheets to help people with disabilities eat and exercise more healthy.
If someone hasn't got any, not enough or even the right support it can be very hard for them to do what they are advised to do, this is why things need to be set out as easy as possible for us.
There needs to be more education in schools and colleges for young people and adults with and without learning disabilities to educate and train people with LD to cook and eat healthy food and exercise.
People with learning disabilities and Health problems have to cope with Stress too.
Stress is one of the worse killers today, there seems to be a lot of stress today for everyone over one thing or another.
Many people turn to things bad for their health due to stress for eg; smoking. It can be hard for a lot of people to accept things that they don't want to live with as it is. Bad news is bad enough as it is without it been confusing and stressful.
If we lose something or someone in our live we don't want to lose. Whether like it or not it happens. It's bad enough for people without LD but the stress can make people with Ld more ill. Another example is relationship break ups, family break ups and etc.
I am not saying that people without disabilities don't stuffer their problems but people with disabilities have our own stresses without anything on our minds, that's own learning disabilities and Health problems things on our minds on top of the problems all people have, can make life even harder to cope with.
We don't except any magic wands but we need more understanding and support to cope with our lives. Thank you.
Back in 1991, my favorite singer Freddie Mercury from Queen died of a Sexual disease called Aids.
I know he didn't have learning disabilities but there's still isn't enough awareness about Sexual diseases in people with learning disabilities.
I am sure Freddie would have liked people with LD and Health problems to get a lot of support for our Sexual Health as much as people without.
Whether we have LD or not we all have feelings.
Freddie was just as ill as people with Ld would be.
There again what people need to understand due to our life Health problems. Other illnesses everyone can have, people with LD can be twice as ill as people without LD. It could make us die quicker because of our LD and the Health problems we may have already.
There needs to be more education on Sexual health that's accessible in schools and colleges.
It can be hard enough teaching young people as it is why education on health is important but people with learning disabilities are slower learners so many of us may need more support to learn.
For eg; some people may not understand why we are advised to use condoms and may even have problems putting them on, mainly if we have problems with our hands.In my case with problems griping, without been personal I am lucky that I have had partners who knew how to put them on.
There still needs to be more education on choices, pregnancy, conception, support and etc.
In March 2009, Jade Goody died of Cervical cancer, this is just an example of many young people who have died of cancer.
I want to raise awareness of Cervical cancer.
We all know it's right to have Smears to get ourselves checked out.
Many women could be scared of having Swears if they have suffered rape and Sexual abuse at any time during our lives. This can have the same big affects on our lives as much females without LD.
May be counseling should be advised to females if they fear swears due to the bad experiences we may have had. Most of us may feel as if we can't go through smears so there needs be support for us to cope with our fears.
Information should be accessible for all females not just females with learning disabilities mainly when we have been through rape and Sexual abuse at any time during our lives, this can put a big affect on any female's life, body and mind. We understand males have suffered sexual abuse and rape as well, which we must raise awareness of these kind of things for males with and without LD.
There's still not enough awareness of people with learning disabilities who have cancer.
I had cancer of the throat at the age of 23, even though I was very lucky it didn't spread to any other part of my body but even though the treatment knocked me about I was lucky to get better. Here's a person LD who didn't better from cancer but could if Health staff looked after better. I don't think they looked after her at all.
Emma who was written about in the Death Indifference report in 2007 had cancer. She died because she died unnecessary because she didn't respond to the treatment the doctor was giving her, due the fact she found it hard to communicate. May be there could have been a chance that Emma's cancer could have been cured.
There's still a 50/50 chance that people can pull through cancer.
It seemed as if the doctors couldn't be bothered with Emma because of her learning disabilities. The doctors needed to try a lot harder to save Emma.
Access All Areas Now! will be playing a DVD of what we have been through with our Health and Health staff who should have looked after us more. This Play is done by a Self Advocacy group support by Mencap called Our Shout, which myself, Andy and Jess are apart of.
Myself, Jessica, ( Andy?) from Access All Areas Now! will be giving you a free training session on raising raising awareness of Learning Disability and Health.
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