Five-Star Disability

Hi there!

As yesterday’s Principles, I’m expanding a few points. Here I’ll delineate and enlighten you by elucidating my understanding of this maxim.

This philosophy is the cornerstone to great intervenor services; which allows the DeafBlind person to be empowered and independent.

Do with: The intervenor supports a DeafBlind person to accomplish a task. The focus is all about about empowerment, respect and equality.

Not For: The intervenor does the task for a DeafBlind person. The focus is all about oppression, speed over details and ableism.

As you can see there are many sides to those four little words.

For your reading pleasure, I’ve created fictional situations; See if you can determine which are appropriate and which are not.

A) at a self-check out at any big box store, Chuck (DeafBlind) scans his purchases, while Kelly (intervenor) relays each subtotal, $8.38, $12.53… etc…

B) After everything is scanned, Kelly quickly completes other questions on screen, without informing Chuck, then asks how he will pay, when he says debit, Kelly taps that option, telling him to insert card…

C) At a restaurant, Chuck would attempt to read the menu, “Too small,” he’d say, “please tell me what it says.” Kelly would summarize the headings: Starters, Main etc… Chuck would then ask for specifics… deciding on the double cheese burger with double fries and a glass of the finest tap water.

D) When server arrives to take orders; Kelly would recite Chuck’s order, forgetting to say ‘finest tap’.

E) Server arrives; Kelly informs Chuck, “How are you tonight?”, Chuck replies “I’m great, and you?”, a little back & forth. “So what can I get you tonight?”, Chuck replies: “I’m going to try the Filet Mignon, medium rare and a Guinness.”, “Oh that is very nice, and your side…”…

F) Kelly would stop to ask: “I thought you wanted the Double Cheese Burger…” quickly they scan the menu, “…the steak is $45…”

G) Kelly would not pause, relaying exactly what Chuck said. Maybe afterwards, may query the change, but Chuck would reply “YOLO!”

H) At the library, Chuck is looking for a large print book by Stephen King, Kelly would guide him to Large Print aisle, Chuck would point to books at random, asking for author, Kelly would provide info: Atwood, Christie, Hemingway, Koontz, L’Amour. Chuck realizes he’s gone too far, backtracks. Finally the right area and book.

I) Still at the library, Kelly asks “…what are you looking for…?”, “It by Stephen King, Large Print.”, Kelly guides Chuck to the right aisle, finds the tome easily, takes it out, giving it to Chuck with words of caution: “That is a big book, can you read all that?”

Okay… Sooo… Yeah, those are pretty obvious, if you guessed that A, C, E, G & H are Do with, not for, you got a perfect Gold Star!

But, why is this ideology so important? Why does it need to be explained?

I promise this will be short!

The DeafBlind person is the person in charge of their actions, of their decisions, of their underwear, of their goals. Yes, a DeafBlind person misses a great deal of information, either visual or talking, they are still in command of themselves.

I guess what I am trying to say is the intervenor empowers DeafBlind persons by providing visual and auditory information that they miss… however, an intervenor is not always needed or required.

The next blog, tomorrow, will elaborate on this.

Thank you for reading, liking, sharing and donating!