We've attended the conference for a number of years, and it's always a fantastic opportunity to network, share good practice, learn and identify upcoming topics for the sector.
What makes it such a key date in my diary? The people who come. It's a venue packed full of experts in every sense - from Social Workers, support workers and managers, to politicians, health professionals and service users. Everyone has a valuable contribution to make and a platform to do it.
John particularly enjoyed
Home Farm Trust's (Hft) seminar on Assistive Technology.
Insight have worked with Hft for a number of years and have been in a privileged position to watch the types and the implementation of technology develop.
Last year, we were 'wow'd' by very personalised, needs-based technologies. In one example, a service user was in danger of losing his job as his refusal to shower was affecting his personal hygiene. HFT designed a 'Disco-Shower' which maximised on the man's love of music to make showering a positive experience - he showered more and kept his job.
This year, HFT have made another revelation:-
Some of the simplest technologies can make the biggest impact, to the largest group of people.
They presented gadgets such as a talking door which delivers a personal message to the individual - "Jennifer, have you got your keys?". Eventually, the service user no longer needs the technology...
Another example was a touchscreen TV which allowed service users to easily select their meal from the options available. HFT work with service users and staff to 'tweak' these technologies to work in a way that is accessible and relevant. Staff reported in this case, that once the service user had grown accustomed to selecting his meals, they realised that the technology could be adapted to support him to make other choices.
Technologies
such as this can help to give greater independence. Hft also said that over
time, the service user may no longer needs these technology as they learn new
ways to cope and communicate!
Key to this is the effect it has on the service user; the sheer volume of benefits that lie beyond the obvious. Service users grow in confidence, they feel empowered, and they suddenly start to engage more with the world around them (And the world replies in a language that works for them!).
Hft
say that the technologies they use are increasingly common place and inexpensive!
Rather than inventing new technologies Hft are increasingly re-purposing
existing ones. This
set us thinking: If these
technologies can be used to the benefit of people with Learning Disabilities,
why not other people such as those with Dementia or Alzheimers?
Also
as the cost of technologies come down, can they play a role in finding new ways
to care for vulnerable people at a time
when resources are reducing?
Hft
certainly believe that this is possible – but Social Care Commissioners will
have to rise to the challenge!
Terry took away something very different from this year's conference. We attended the seminar 'Lessons From Winterbourne', and whilst it was a valuable and interesting session, the striking point for Terry came when the panel invited questions and comments from the floor. They were met with a sea of waving hands, and many of them belonged to a person with a learning disability. Sadly several comments were from service users that had suffered abuse - some were reflecting on support they had (or had not) received, whilst some had clearly never gained recognition for what had happened to them.
However, Terry identified a positivity in this difficult session - it struck her that people with a learning disability have finally found their voice!
Terry has a background in social care, particularly in work with people with learning disabilities, and she reflected that even when given space and opportunity, service users would rarely acknowledge or report abuse they were suffering.
Suddenly, now, people are speaking out. They've found the voice to say "This happened to me, and it wasn't ok". This shows a shift in culture; people with a learning disability are beginning to have a sense of real, tangible and usable rights, and are beginning to feel empowered to exercise them.
We need to ensure this change maintains momentum, and that we continue to support service users to feel empowered and capable, to raise their voices, and demand their rights.
I, however, felt something else resonated with me.
In a number of sessions, service users created an opportunity to raise a personal problem - one that wasn't related to the session topic. This felt very different to the strength of the Winterbourne comments - this felt to me like desperation.
Service users were saying that they'd taken the difficulties they were encountering to their GPs, to the hospital, to the police, but didn't feel they were receiving help. Perhaps because these aren't the appropriate bodies to be supporting the types of issues being raised - it falls below their eligibility criteria.
Funding cuts across social care have seen a reduction in smaller, independent, localised services. It's these services that dealt with much of the low need difficulties and provided support. In the absence of these services, individuals are struggling to find an appropriate forum for their concerns, and therefore appropriate support.
The problems escalate.
In desperation, people with learning disabilities are reaching out at times and places, such as the conference, when support is not inbuilt, and people are not properly equipped to help.
"Before I leave here today, in this room full of highly educated professionals, someone, can you please give me an answer?!"
What are we doing to prevent people reaching crisis? Can we afford to only deal in reactive care?
The Learning Disability Today Conference is inspiring, informative and provocative, but the onus is on us, as attendees, to take our thoughts and observations away and act on them. Whilst the conference itself is a culmination of months of work for some, and an ending until the next year, it's really a beginning. Insight will now go back to the drawing board with this new learning and write it into our Social Care Training.
Thank you to the #LDTconf for keeping Insight passionate and informed about Social Care!
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