Andrew who is Autistic, discusses his 20 year career at the Great Yarmouth Library (9:07)

Andrew who is Autistic, discusses his 20 year career at the Great Yarmouth Library

Andrew a longtime library employee discusses his 20-year career and explains how the job’s daily variation and his involvement in diverse tasks keep him engaged.

Following his autism diagnosis in 2014, he has received good support from his current team and manager, including the implementation of a personalised wellness plan. Andrew shares insights on how to support autistic colleagues, emphasising the importance of individualised approaches, clear communication, and flexible support systems.

He also reflects on the library’s evolution from a traditional book-lending facility to a vibrant community hub offering various services from mental health support to migrating assistance and warm drinks for those in need. The library continues to adapt, with ongoing programs like the summer reading challenge for children.

The importance of where David lives. (3:24)

The importance of where David lives.

David says he loves living in this quiet, convenient home in the middle of Norwich, especially the beautiful back garden Pat designed. He likes that the neighbourhood has a real mix of people including students, teachers, older residents, refugees, and university staff.

He feels there’s a strong sense of community: he knows the man who runs the local paper shop and often chats with the regulars there in the mornings. When he was injured, an older neighbour walking by offered to deliver his newspaper for him, which shows the everyday kindness and helpfulness in the area.

Person centered care: Small things big difference (2:28)

Person centred care: Small things big difference

Sue talks about person centered care and why this is so important.

The cares who have been good have provided person centred care for her mum and dad.

Sue reflects that person centeredness is about preference, choice, dislikes how you would like things etc providing examples of how this has been with her parents.

Whilst noting these may be small things such as what plate, cultlery they like, how they have their tea, how they like their eggs, how her dads hair is combed each small thing makes a big difference.

Its the silliest things we take for granted but they become the most important when you start recieving care.

The difference person centred care makes to family (3:52)

The difference person centred care makes to family

Sue reflects on the little things that make a big difference in regards to person centred care.

She talks about what difference knowing her parents are recieving good care means to her.

Sue gives examples and shares how it enables her to relax and have less stress worrying about how her parents are or if they are getting the right care without feeling guilty confident that her parents are recieving the attention they need.

Underlying causes of poor care (2:40)

Underlying causes of poor care

Sue talks about what she are the challenges of providing effective homecare services and underlying causes. Relating to her own experience as a manager with significant experience overseeing services Sue feels that some issues stem from laziness, inadequate education/training and very over burdened care providers.

She gives examples of her parents experience having carer’s dash in and out with only 30 minutes to cover basic needs before rushing off leaving her parents frazelled. Sue emphasises the importance of human interaction critiquing the system for prioritising effeciency over quality.

What being human means to Jac and Baz (1:55)

What being human means to Jac and Baz

Jac expresses that to her being more human means that she has a purpose, she has an opinion and reason to be here. Jac and Baz explain that shortly after moving from Ipswich and bought there home to be mortgage free, get out more, things changed dramatically due to Baz having a heart attach and then Jac becoming ill. 

Jac/Baz notes the different experiences/attitudes of hospitals and care homes; not reading notes and Doctors seeing her as a case study rather than a person with her own knowledge, leaving her feeling as though what she felt and thought does not count – and not treated like a person with agency.

Value your staff and they will value each other (4:00)

Value your staff and they will value each other

Sue shares what she feels needs to happen to ensure the people who work in the care service are the right people.

She highlights the importance of valuing and supporting staff in home care services to ensure quality care.

These include the necessity of spending time with and trusting staff, improving recruitment, training, and induction processes, and the importance of face-to-face interaction for instilling care values.

Sue notes the pressure on support staff, especially overseas workers, and the administrative burdens they face.

Paticular emphasis is placed on the need for continuous support to prevent staff from feeling undervalued, which can affect care quality.

Sue also touches on the effectiveness of current regulatory monitoring by the CQC.

Less agro and better pay working in a Supermarket (0:36)

Less agro and better pay working in a Supermarket

Jac relates they had many care staff on low pay often having to do extra jobs, leave to work at Tesco and Sainsbury it is better pay and much less agro.

It is about finding those ways to bring lightness, thats how we get through it (1:33)

It is about finding those ways to bring lightness, thats how we get through it

Jac and Baz relate to how for them humour creates the conditions for trust and transparency. Jac shares it took her a while to feel confident with male carers, Baz’s “warped sense of humour” has helped with this.

They have a strong bond between them and shared humour is what has got them through tough times. They share several examples of this.

They choose to make light of the difficulties they deal with each day, this is important to their well-being, it helps them survive. Humour and being silly is a passionate thing that brings them closer.

It is easier to do this when trust and transparency is present

Introducing Highwater House and Under One Roof (1:50)

Introducing Highwater House and Under One Roof

Zena and Angela give an overview of Highwater House and Under One Roof.

Highwater House is a 22 bed residential care home for people with a mental health illness, and drug or alcohol addictions providing care for adults 18-65 who have experienced trauma.

It is a facility that focuses on working on the emotional needs of people who have and are suffering trauma through their experiences of homelessness rather than stopping people from using drink and drugs.

Supported by St Martins Housing Trust, Under One Roof is a day centre for people enduring long term mental illness and social isolation. Zena touches on how through daily mistreatment and long term abuse those who are living homeless have lost trust in humans, in society and how their work is about rebuilding trusting relationships.