Support Worker

[Deblegs]

Dear All

 

I do have a really good friend who has a son with Asperger Syndrome. She has very understanding, patient, kind and very emphatic. She is being a real support to me with this issue of getting the right support worker.

 

She suggested that I had a word with the secretary of the Asperger Syndrome Parent Support Group that I attend, about me getting the right support worker. I did but I didn't get anywhere.

 

I was told that I would not get a support worker who was kind, understanding, patient and emphatic and I was also told that I could not really employ any parent with someone with AS because they are too busy with their own lives to be able to have time to take someone else on.

 

Also, employing someone myself would be a mammoth task I am told. You have to advertise and make sure police checks are made, none of which I could cope with.

 

I am thinking very seriously of giving up the search for a support worker and managing without. Maybe I am more capable than I think. I am coping doing the shopping, cooking, ironing and washing. Perhaps all I will need is my family setting me up in a place and help to sort my bills out using Direct Debits.

 

I would need a cleaner and occasional help buying clothes and replacing house equipment such as the washing machine etc.

 

I am going to give it a go.

 

At the end of the day I would rather not have support than have support from someone who won't treat me right.

 

From Debbie

[barefoot wend]

Deblegs

 

I'm sorry you can't find someone at the moment. Perhaps you could try again later?

 

Good luck if you do decide to go it alone.

 

Barefoot

[Tally]

It's always worth trying it on your own. Don't let things get out of control though, if you do have problems.

 

I do it on my own. I have my husband, but he has mental health problems and I support him more than he supports me if I'm honest . . . as in, he looks after me when he takes me to the pub one night a week, and I do everything else on my own.

 

A cleaner is not that expensive - presumably you can do some of it yourself, you might only need someone for an hour a week.

 

As the rest of the help you need is occasional, you might not need anything formal in place. Your family, or this woman you know might be able to help with things like that. If you know other people with AS, maybe you can help each other out, like friends do.

[Deblegs]

Dear Tally

 

Thanks for the encouragment

 

I am going to see about employing someone for about 4 hours a week. It has to be like this so that I have someone there for when I do need occasional help. If I don't get any joy with this I will try and do it on my own.

 

From Debbie

 

It's always worth trying it on your own. Don't let things get out of control though, if you do have problems.

 

I do it on my own. I have my husband, but he has mental health problems and I support him more than he supports me if I'm honest . . . as in, he looks after me when he takes me to the pub one night a week, and I do everything else on my own.

 

A cleaner is not that expensive - presumably you can do some of it yourself, you might only need someone for an hour a week.

 

As the rest of the help you need is occasional, you might not need anything formal in place. Your family, or this woman you know might be able to help with things like that. If you know other people with AS, maybe you can help each other out, like friends do.

[nellie]

Hi Debbie,

 

I'm sorry you were unable to find a support worker but can understand why you wouldn't want anyone who didn't understand you.

 

You know your needs best. If you think you can manage on your own then you should be allowed to try this, but it would certainly be a good idea to have some point of contact in case you needed help for any reason, even if it's for the odd bit of advice about something.

 

Remember if you are looking for information or advice you can always ask us, we will always try to help.

 

Good luck with whatever decisions you make.

 

Nellie xx