Partners
Paul Johnstone
Well, it's what we all do a million times a day, but we don't always take it in, do we? That's the thing, I suppose. It's all in the looking, isn't it? It's all in the observing. It's all in, you know...So you can just build a bigger picture of the person.
Morning. How are you doing?
Yeah, you're always looking out for the person that you're with. You're in somebody's life for that time. You want to try and draw something out of people. Being there with that person, at that moment.
So it's somewhere new to have a look at.
See you later.
See you later.
He doesn't want to see himself as needing words to be bolstered and reinforced, because he understands what you're saying anyway. Don't ever try and press a lift button for him. He wants to be as independent as he possibly can, and he really does fight for that. And rather than thinking you're doing someone a favour, it's like you're disempowering them. "I can do it, so just let me do it," you know?
OK, here we go. Are you ready? Now, what would you like – chips or burger?
Burger.
OK……OK. Here we go Jack…smaller bit…bit of cheese on that piece Sir. A chip there as well? Good man. Great stuff, great stuff. Want a burger?
Yeah.
Great. You're doing well.
All right there? Right, then, ready for a bit of burger? Bit on cheese on, Jack. OK. Thanks, Jack.
There are lots of people with needs out there. Recognisable needs. Maybe it's just the times we live in, but rather than being hidden away in an institution, people are out and about, living their lives.
What do you think? Would you like to do that? When you're ready, you can tell me, OK?
David? David? Shall we go swimming?
Here we go, here we go…Music?
M&S lorry.
M&S lorry.
Sainsbury's lorry.
Sainsbury's lorry.
M&S lorry.
M&S lorry.
Sainsbury's lorry.
Sainsbury's lorry.
We’re following that Sainsbury's lorry.
M&S lorry.
M&S lorry.
You're just trying to find a way to, I suppose, be…be constant for a start, because you kind of need that. It's just you're there...OK, he's there again, he's copying the sounds I'm making. I can only guess. It's some kind of...security. This hasn't changed. I don't have to worry because it's not a scary situation, because I recognise the sounds that we're making between us. I do this, he does that. That's good. It's...it's keeping us grounded. I'm not in unknown, insecure territory, I suppose, you know?
Reminds me of my old man, he could whistle like that.
The way things have gone recently...with the cuts…there's nobody standing saying much for them at all. They really are the first to feel the cuts. They really are, you know? People's disabilities having to be tested – you think, "Jesus, man, is there no better way to run a society?” At the end of the day, all you can do is be in there – being the person that's trying to...make folks have a fulfilled day.
It's easy…It’s only care work. You kick back. All you're doing, you know, it’s cups of tea and biscuits, and all that. And I'm sure that's still there. But you can only do what you do yourself. Vulnerable people's needs…For God's sake, man, you know, it's human beings. You're at the coalface of humanity, really. But I don't know where there's anything easy about that.
It's all about normalisation. Just to try and normalise, you know, stuff that we all take for granted. You think, "OK, we're going to make this goes smoothly.” And so you just have to be...just aware. There's still moments when it becomes fraught, but you try and, um...You're just trying to remain level-headed about it. And it is what it is. We're there, we've got as much right as everyone else to be here. And in general, people are great. In general, people are.
You just try to find ways to....be with them, facilitate what they need. And I don't know, become familiar enough. You can work with somebody a long time, you can get to know their habits, but you might not really know them. People perceive the world differently. How do you start to be involved with that? I can't explain it beyond that, I don't suppose. Well, everybody wants companionship, communication - but do they? Because if you have a different perception of the world, then you might not. You might just be happily going along on your rails too, and if everything, your needs are being met, why would you need anything else?
If security and insecurity are such big factors, and how you're gonna operate during the day, then you've got to be there to reassure the whole time, man. "We're going to walk to the gym, and we're going to have a Coke, and then we're going to go for a bike ride.” And it's there. It's a solid, actual thing. We've got proof of it there – "This is what we're going to do.” And it's another tool for saying, ”Yes." You know, he's chosen that. He's picked the symbols and gone - it’s this, this and this. And you go, "Yeah, that's it.” Lets do it.
And then what are we gonna do after it?
We're gonna go cycle?
What you gonna have?
Hamburger and Coke.
Hamburger and Coke.
I suppose you're looking for cues the whole time. I mean, his reaction is all you've kinda got to go on, cos he's not going to tell you outright, "Yeah, I like this, I like that.” So, it's lots of observation, and just seeing what…if you get a response at all, sometimes. And it can just be a slight nod of the head, be a small, short sound. It's difficult, because it would be fantastic to try new stuff. But new stuff is a different environment. You’re trying to find a line between, you know, giving people more experience…and confirming what we're doing next. Repeating what it is we're doing now. So you're keeping it going the whole time – to the next, to the next, to the next. And Mum says he's like that at home as well. That's been achieved - next, next, next, keep going.
And I suppose because we all have…we pick up signals all the time. Our brain's processing the way other people are looking at you, reading facial expressions and stuff like that. Some of the folks I work with, they don't...they can't process the signals that we can as quickly as we can. They can be at a disadvantage from the very start. You can fall behind with that. That's got to be a hellish place to be in, when everybody else is...we can be eloquent, and we all can just get on moving and working our way through our lives.
The world's a scary enough place. When you put yourself in the position of a son or a daughter who's more vulnerable, I can't imagine the pressure that that must be. So to be able to be that person that can take some of that pressure for parts of the day. An awful lot of trust. People stay with you, because it's people's lives.
We're all here at this moment, and you do whatever you can do. You know, just trying to help people enjoy the ride to a degree, you know. Like I'm trying to enjoy it myself.
