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elle.b

what do you expect from your support worker

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Hi, I have recently started working as a support worker for a 48 year old gentleman with Asperger's. I have a degree in Psychology, and know the characteristics of PDD's, but obviously this does not compare to interacting with people with a PDD and learning about their way of life. I'm finding it difficult to communicate with my Client, he works as a cleaner in a hospital, and I spend shifts with him, trying to help him reach the standards required by the hospital's cleaning company. Standards have increased in the NHS and there is a risk of him losing his job if he does not maintain the correct standard. I was wondering if anyone was willing to give me advice? I apologise if anything I have said is offensive. I do not mean to be, and only want to support my Client in the best way possible. Just so it is known, I speak to him about everything, any issues that arise I discuss with him and we work it out as best we can. But I'm just looking for any advice anyone might have to help us communicate better. It would be much appreciated, as I am always aware of the sensitivity of this kind of relationship. I want my Client to know I am there to support him, not to spy on him or to boss him around, and though I've said this to him I feel like he thinks I'm "telling on him" to his supervisors etc. Which obviously is not the case. I'm determined to be a friend to him and help him as best as I can, and I hope to form trust between us.

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i found constructive critism hard to swallow take so trend tactfully carefully put in simple easy way term as part of life fact of life way you learn grow into community/society and essentially world of work employment

 

XKLX

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Hi elle.b

 

Sorry to reply with a question (or two) but how long has your client been employed by the hospital cleaning firm? Is he truly aware of what is expected from him?

 

I work in a NHS hospital myself and most of the cleaners work alone which means they can just get on the job without much interaction with anybody else.

 

Has his managers complained about his standards of work? If so, then clearly, you need to take him aside and have a quiet word about expectations etc. Do this away from the "shop floor" - perhaps in the hospital's coffee shop or cafeteria during his break. Find out if your client is unhappy about anything (i.e. do his supervisors constantly pick on/moan at him?). Does your client belong to a union who can support him if he's at risk of losing his job?

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I will tell you one thing, be careful with the criticism even though it may be constructive, many ASD don't take criticism too well.

 

But what's this about contract cleaners demanding standards, they never bothered before and it was always do everything in the least possible time which meant things really didn't get cleaned very well, they can't in the time allocated per area.

 

But whilst you charge is cleaning, what do you do, do you clean as well, or do you just hang a round watching whilst he is doing his job, because if you are doing the latter I can tell your charge will start to resent you being there and the cogs will be whirring with suspicion about you, thus making your communication difficulties even more so.

 

But if he is not doing his job properly perhaps it is he has not been trained properly and so any issues regarding his work could very well fall at the feet of those who trained him, for one thing you should understand about Aspies, once they are trained properly in that understand what they have to do without any lingering questions, they will do what they have been trained to do and will work more conscientiously than many an NT.

 

And if his job is on the line, is it really because he is an Aspie and so different from the others who will have formed their little social groups where many an Aspie fails and so, by being the loner it is often the case the loners get the push when someone has to get pushed and in cases such as contract whatevers, firing someone has the effect to make others work harder as well as soothe relations with the contractee, them understanding or being told standards will improve because they have got rid of the slacker.

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