socialmedian: Independent living: A disabled man and his personal assistants

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Independent living: A disabled man and his personal assistants

Source: guardian.co.uk Society

Nov 04, 2009

Summary

Stefano Goodman uses a wheelchair and lives independently - with the help of two personal assistants. Such uniquely intimate relationships with strangers take a bit of getting used to ...

My disability means that I need help for almost all physical activity. So, to enable me to live an independent life in my own home, I need a live-in personal assistant. Do not call them 'carers' under any circumstances. If you do, disabled people will start throwing their wheelchairs at you. Or, at least, they'll ask their PAs to do it on their behalf.

I have a couple of PAs working in three-day shifts and they usually stick around for a year. Training up and getting to know the new guys twice a year is stressful, but I have developed strategies to make these periods easier.

Living with strangers

We are in the kitchen. He asks me if I want some wine and I nod. He takes the glass, puts it between my lips and slowly starts tipping it down my throat. When I have had enough I carefully grip the glass in my teeth and gently push it down: the international sign language for 'Please do

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