I now have 2 staff that i don't get on with at all. I don't understand them and they don't understand me. I am freezing and i asked this member of staff 4 times to put the heating on he then decided to come into my flat ( as my heating is controlled by the house - totally the opposite of what i told him to do. They know i struggle to understand people whose 1st language isn't English... it's in my care plan. So im going inform my social worker about todays incident tommorw.
I love my own place which is attached to the house. My own space problem i have is i have been here since June 3rd of last year yet they claim they are still learning about me. Yet they have also lost 5 staff recently and the deputy manager is my cousin yet shes always at my meetings is that not a conflict of interest?
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Arcticwolf
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I have read your post, (a couple of times), to enable me to have a thorough think about the different things you have described. If I have understood the situation correctly, it sounds like you are uncomfortable about several things (all at the same time).
I must admit that I don't like it when I feel cold indoors either (I think most people would say the same thing too). Most people want to feel warm and relaxed in their home space.
It is never nice to be surprised by someone unexpectedly coming into your personal living space - without an invitation or appointment from you first (with a previously agreed; suitable day and time of day - so that you can feel comfortable about how the visit fits into how you like to live your day). I wondered if perhaps the person genuinely might have got really worried: that you you were describing your living area was dangerously cold and felt that they needed to feel how cold things were for you (by them standing in your living area to check how cold it also made them feel too).
It can be more distressing (for anyone, for everyone) when there are multiple changes of people in our lives - even when, on one level, we might know people are probably trying to do their best job - even when they might still feel very new to the place where they work and not yet completely familiar with the people they are learning how best to support. I think it might seem quite difficult for the people on both sides of trying to resolve an issue (both the person, like you, trying to report an issue which really bothers you (feeling cold), plus for the (fairly new) people working with you to to try and improve such an issue.
I am sorry to hear that you are having to try to deal with this experience. (I am sure there are other things you would likely prefer to be doing on a Sunday). I think it was a good idea of yours; to try talking about the situation to some independent people on this support group (people who are not so involved with the day to day experience where you are living ).
I would like to think that, hopefully, people reading your post might have some problem-solving ideas to share with you (for you to have a think about before you try talking with your Social Worker on Monday). One problem with the weekend might be that there may not be as many people on this group logged on because of it being the weekend (so I hope you will not be very disappointed - if not many people are available - on a weekend - to reply to your post).
Last Summer, I think (in one of your posts) you said about having access to peer-to-peer support. What I am not sure about: a) whether you still have access to that person or service, and whether b) it is the same or different to your Social Worker. Please forgive me; if I have misunderstood about the peer-to-peer support (as I wondered if that might be somebody else you could contact to have a discussion about things - in case it might take a while to be able to talk with your Social Worker).
When I am at my home, when I feel colder than usual, I sometimes need to try and remind myself of some of the things I could do differently (to feel warmer). They might be some simple things which, normally, I would have already tried. However, if I have got a bit too cold (or tired, or upset, or hungry, or if I don't feel well, or just a bet cross or fed up) the normal suggestions and ideas might have been dropped from my thoughts.
Sorry if these ideas sound to obvious - I am just sharing what I do:
- even though I don't like wearing socks and shoes particularly (I will go and put on my socks and slippers or trainers),
- I will get myself another warm drink and something warm to eat (or, as a treat, as it is Winter / Spring, I might check to see if the welcoming extra energy they supply might be available from: having a biscuit, or some squares of chocolate, with my warm drink),
- if I am sat still indoors reading, listening to music, or watching television (I find myself a knitted or fleece beanie hat, scarf, gloves, and a blanket or duvet - and get more settled down and warm while I am sat still that way),
- my least favourite self-suggestion (but it works) it might be a good time to move more ...doing some housework!
- perhaps a more popular idea (put my headphones on, and dance about, for a while, to my music or a favourite radio channel),
- sometimes I might be in the mood to practice some exercises or something like Tai Chi movements (it gets you warmed up and helps prevent you feeling like your shoulders are hunched up avd you are sort of holding your breath because you have felt cold),
- some people say they enjoy having a warm shower or bath (but that might not suit everyone's preferences),
- particularly this time of year (I check that I have closed the blinds and curtains, plus shut all the internal doors to each room - to better keep the heat in my rooms).
I know you also mentioned your concern about a possible conflict of interest when your female cousin is sometimes also in your meetings. Unfortunately, even if you were to try and explain it a different way on a post, I don't think it would be sensible for us to try and imagine all the things to consider about the history of that situation which makes you feel uncomfortable. For that reason, I think it might be safer for you to discuss that worry with your Social Worker. One thing you might need to remind yourself: when you post about more personal things like that on groups like this - it is a bit like sending a postcard in the mail (where you cannot really be sure who reads the information - so it is better to talk with someone professional about such things - like your Social Worker.
Perhaps make a written list or doodle art / bullet journal what seems to be bothering you - ready to discuss it with your Social Worker.
I believe the important and helpful wellbeing skill, that we each of us always benefit from working on, again and again, particularly when something is upsetting us - is to try and make sure (in our own thoughts) we do "talk" to ourselves with a kind voice. (I hope you know what I mean). Even when we are really not happy about something important - it is still likely - we will each of us be trying to do our best in a difficult situation - sometimes it is worth reminding ourselves of that fact. Please be kind to yourself and "take care" - as older people sometimes say to people who they are trying to help.
I do hope you will experience a better week in the days ahead.
Yes i have multi things going on all at the same time. medical appointments MH appointments trying to get a forklift licence. I still have access to the peer to peer support.I put one of my support workers in a hazardous situation where she feel over a horse thing. Can't even have a warm shower cause the landlord doesn't see the boiler problem as not being powerful enough to give my place hot water. When numerous of times his been made ware of it and i do keep my doors shut.
If I were in your situation - I would be sure to put the shower hot water issue on the list of things to discuss with your Social Worker.
Access to hot water is one of the "rights to essential services" for Tenants in the UK (as a legal requirement upon Landlords).
You described already having told the Landlord about the problem, however, the Social Worker might be able to help you to get the local Council to have a conversation with the Landlord about it too (or the Council might even arrange to visit - to have a look at the heating and hot water situation).
As the Tenant Support Helpline says:
"If the landlord remains unresponsive, contact your local council’s environmental health department to report the issue. Local councils can inspect properties and take action against landlords who fail to address heating and hot water issues."
The Social Worker will probably be aware about dealing with this type of problem - but a Local Council Officer in the Environmental Health Department would be more of an expert in these things and how the law should protect Tenants experiencing this type of problem.
However, because so many people are Tenants these days, you might find the Environmental Health Department is very busy helping lots of people - there may be something like a waiting list and a delay to getting involved and then reporting back to you - so they might not be available to be helpful quite as quickly as everyone involved would hope they might do so.
I am not trying to put you off talking to them, nor to try and make you feel bad about the idea - instead, I just wanted you to know that (if things seem a bit slow dealing with the Council) it will not be personal to you and your situation - as I have seen other people find the process can take some time these days.
Wishing you the best of luck with all your effort with everything this week.
Well after speaking with my social worker today she sent the email to the area manager next thing the house gets an email saying there going fit a bigger tank. But wanted the support staff to get a quote when it should be the landlords job.
Well, that first part sounds like good news (that your Social Worker listened to what you had to report and then quickly managed to get some action with Area Management on the move towards the idea of fitting of a bigger tank).
The second part (about Area Management wanting Support Staff to get the quotes for works, rather than the Landlord doing so) seems a little bit surprising. Sometimes, things about running a building just can be more complicated, or have more administrative steps involved, then anyone might really want to think too hard about! Hopefully, step by step, the goal of a bigger tank will become closer and then be implemented.
I wonder if there might be some good reason(s) for that strategy being suggested (something unknown to Tenants). I think it is very good that they have informed Tenants, in writing, in a timely way, by email, about the situation. That is important progress in itself.
I think, perhaps, the "who gets the quotes" process could be a bit of a tactical / political / historical issue. I think that I would keep well away from that detail and discussion (time, and some repeated processes, might be needed for that approach to find it's natural way to getting a good result).
A bit of watching, waiting, and politely requesting a progress update ...might be necessary (but only if weeks go by without much change happening).
It can be the situation that, because the companies that supply things like those tanks might not always be able to really quickly provide the quotes (for example: they will often need to look at and measure the building, talk to their suppliers about the best options, get the cost details, also details about how long the parts needed would take to come into stock, and then they write a proposal / with plans describing the work they propose needs to be done to solve the problem) the Support Staff and Tenants might have to wait a while to hear about what is happening next. Some parts to do with heating / plumbing / hot water are more difficult to obtain quickly these days.
I think lots of people in the building must be thinking, and hoping, that things might be better sorted out before too long.
I hope that you have given yourself some credit - for having spoken up about the issue (all improvement progress would have to start from that type of important first step).
I apologise for the delayed response. I had a fracture clinic appointment and was feeling overwhelmed and they had 2 get 2 nurses to try and keep me calm. I do give give my self credit and I also just secured my spot on a 5 day forklift course.
I wish you best of luck for your journey towards getting your forklift truck licence. I have not done that course, but several years ago; I used to know someone who enjoyed a forklift course like that one, they got their licence, and then they got a job in a logistics warehouse.
It is not someone I am still in contact with, but if I remember correctly, they were also thinking about doing the Construction Skills Certification Scheme (CSCS) training course to get the CSCS Card - in case (in the future) they wanted to get a job operating a forklift truck on a construction site.
From the way the person talked about it; the CSCS training was to make sure people going to work on construction sites had been told about sensible health and safety knowledge. At the time, I think they said they got a place on the training by talking with the Work Coach at the Job Centre (but I think afterwards they also had to arrange their test or exam themselves - to get the actual card - as that exam wasn't part of the training course itself - (which seemed to me a bit of an unusual way of doing things) - I think it depended upon if funding is available for unemployed people trying to get work in the construction industry).
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