Bigger is better bias: or the knee jerk reaction

Picture this, I tell someone I like folk music. Their response, instead of saying "really", or "what type?"  or something like that, is to say "maybe you could be part of the band". I use this analogy to introduce the frequent responses that I hear when we say something that a person with PIMD can do. Can you guess what they might be?...

Sometimes it might be... "How could we turn that into a functional skill". Sometimes it might be "how could we get them into the community"

Now don't get me wrong. I don't have a problem with the community or functional skills. What I do have a problem with is when those lines are given so immediately without first really valuing what the person is already doing. It's almost as though what people are already doing is second best to the prospect of doing it as a functional skill or in the community.

Is bigger always better? Is the potential functional skill always better? Is doing it in the community always better? 

Perhaps what I talked about in my age appropriateness article fits here too. Are these things operating as enablers or barriers in people's lives? I think if the question is based on an inherent devaluing of what the person is currently doing, and there will be significant challenges in the person acquiring the proposed   next step, then I do think they can be barriers: the person is left in a situation that many people see as second best and devalued (youll only be valued when your skill is functional or community based). But, if the current non functional and non community based skill is first truly valued and then the other thing is opened as an opportunity, then they can be enablers.

So next time I say I like folk music first understand why and what I like about it, not with the agenda of then modifying me to be more functional or community based. Then, after you truly understand my like you can propose making it more functional or community based.

Approaching Best Practice for adults with PIMD in day services

I had the pleasure of spending a day at WALCA in Bexley, NSW, last week.

There were many things about the service that make me suggest they are approaching best practice.

Most notable was their InterCom service in IGLO:). This part of the day service included two staff dedicated to supporting the communication of the service users. The staff had built particular expertise in Intensive Interaction and other communication strategies. They had an area of the day service where they could bring clients for one to one work. In addition, they had other staff spend a day in the part of the service so that they could model and share what they'd learnt. 

They showed and discussed a video that they had made of the work. They impressed me with their ability to describe the outcomes for service users and how these had been bought about: people who were now taking turns in sound play, people who had started the service screaming most of the day and now smiling in interactions... Very impressive, and showing the value of day services when time is dedicated to staff learning and nurturing their ability to bring about and describe outcomes.

Raising Our Sights: Practice Guides

The Practice Guides for Raising Our Sights are out. Check them out on the Mencap website.

http://www.mencap.org.uk/all-about-learning-disability/information-professionals/pmld/raising-our-sights-guides

There are links to the guides and videos linked onto YouTube.

I'm just watching the Clinical Procedures video and it's great.

Well done!

Dr Jan van Dijk coming to Melbourne

http://enews.threeware.com.au/subscribers/view_online/0_3647/1668566/M1J8E5wsqFDz9veWAh28JIS9ounouey8

I am a huge fan of Van Dijk's work - and hoping he'll touch on adults in his session in Melbourne as well.

His work relates to one of my biggest annoyances - when therapists leap into object symbols programmes without attending to the areas of resonance, attachments and co-active movement (going back to the origins of the work).

See you there maybe!

Children’s commissioner: Rules on touching ‘wrong’ - Scotland - Scotsman.com

This was front page of the Sunday Scotsman newspaper. Very interesting article calling to reexamine the touch aversive environment of children's environments.
Do we need the a similar reconsideration in the support systems of adults with PIMD?
Children’s commissioner: Rules on touching ‘wrong’ - Scotland - Scotsman.com

Raising Our Sights UK ... next steps

I was really excited to hear that the UK PMLD Network and Mencap have produced how to guides and films in follow up to Jim Mansell's Raising Our Sights report. These will be launched in the UK later this month. 

I've requested a copy and will let you all know when I receive it. I wonder if they'll have the available online too?

For more info go to http://www.mencap.org.uk/pmld-network-conference-2013

From the website

Doll therapy in aged care

Just read this on the Spark of Life website. It resonated with me as something that might relate to some people with PIMD.

If you support the use of doll therapy, you are likely to have had positive, personal experience that dolls have strong symbolic meaning and provide purpose, nurture and healing for people with dementia. As a result you are most likely passionate about these outcomes and will fight for Doll Therapy to be an integral part of the therapy program.

On the opposite side, you may have thoughts such as: I'd rather die than imagine myself as an old person in a nursing home, walking around with a doll. You are genuinely concerned that introducing dolls can be childish, demeaning, maybe even patronising and often feel so strongly about your point of view that you ensure dolls are not permitted in your facility.

If you belong to this side, undoubtedly, you genuinely want the best for people with dementia and respect and dignity are high on your agenda. The way you assess whether Doll Therapy is acceptable or not is based on the thinking: Do unto others as you would like done unto you. This is a perfectly logical and rational conclusion.

This same logical, rational thinking is still active in most people in the early stages of dementia. However there is a distinct difference in the way a person who has moved beyond the early stages of dementia thinks. T his person may now have lost much of their memory and their logical, rational thinking as well as their social inhibitions. The beliefs and values they used to uphold are no longer important to them. They live in the moment - and that is all that matters!

When you care for a person in the later stages of dementia, it can serve you both well to consider a change of thinking from: How will the person respond to this activity? To: What activity will this person respond to?

http://www.dementiacareaustralia.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=60&Itemid=81

Great new film online

I just found out about a really great film that is available online.
Here's info about it...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hp4PW17U_h8
"If you listen, you will hear us"

A Leicestershire-produced DVD and guidelines aimed at involving people with profound and multiple learning disabilities (PMLD) in the planning and commissioning of services that they use has been launched.

'If You Listen, You Will Hear Us' project gives a voice to all people with PMLD. It has been produced by the Leicester and Leicestershire Learning Disability Partnership Boards along with frontline staff, carers and people with learning disabilities themselves. 

Changing Places Victoria - A great success

I had the pleasure of attending the Changing Places Victoria launch on Monday. It was very exciting to see a great number of people attending the launch and passionate about getting Changing Places happening here.
It was great to check out the mobile Changing Places loo and see how popular this has been for councils. It was also great to hear about the upcoming bathrooms for Ringwood.

Let's hope that, like UK, in 5 years time we'll be able to announce the many hundreds of places where people with disabilities can go to because they now have access to an adult height adjustable change table, hoist and real space for assistance.

Intensive Interaction course at Deakin Uni

Cross posting for Mark

barber.mark.m@edumail.vic.gov.au


Dear colleague, the accredited Masters Level Unit of Study: Intensive Interaction: Theory to Practice is available again in 2013, at Deakin University Burwood Campus

Intensive Interaction is an approach to supporting the communication of learners with complex intellectual disabilities and often severe communication impairments which originated in UK and has been gaining increasing interest in Australia since its introduction in 2003.

The approach is recognised an evidence based practice by APS

WHERE :
Deakin University, Burwood Campus.
HOW:
Participants complete the required readings prepared for this unit. Tutorial support is provided by email.
The unit follows 3 phases of on-campus days at Burwood Site, through the trimester with face-to-face teaching by the unit lecturer

·      Phase 1.....3 consecutive days in January

·      Phase 2......a weekend in March

·      Phase 3.....3 days in April

NB To gain accreditation for learning, participants should attend all 8 days and complete 1x 3000 word assignment and 1x 3000 word reflective diary.

WHEN : Begins January 2013
WHO : anyone who works with people with complex or profound intellectual disabilities

Contact Anne Savige Manager of Educational Projects anne.savige@deakin.edu.au+61 3 924 46384


NB More detail is available in the attachment
regards

Mark
Mark Barber PhD
Intensive Interation Coordinator
Bayside SDS
Genoa Street
Moorabbin
Vic 3189