Changing Faces 2.0

Disabled adult who recently started using home care.

A few years ago, I wrote a post about looking through home and personal care websites and being unable to find any photos of individuals who were either not severely disabled or who were under "senior" age. That was about three years ago during my last attempt to look for home care.

I've been looking through photos again recently, and I'm impressed to see more representation of other ability levels and age groups within this subject online. It's by no means a lot, but small victories, I guess.

In addition to photos, there seems to be a lot more acceptance and coverage in the information home and personal care organizations put out. Years ago, it was roughly the same deal as the photos: "You're not disabled enough" or "We mostly deal with the elderly." It was a real big pain! This time around, while speaking with representatives, there was still "senior" talk, but it was followed by talk of younger clients and accommodation too.

I think this all has a lot to do with why I actually decided to get home care this time around. Everything finally seemed a lot more comfortable.

Hope this continues.

Cheers

Moving Onwards

This afternoon, I got a phone call from my job counselor at Pinecrest Queensway Employment Services looking for the usual updates and this time, I actually had a really good one!

I immediately filled her in on the events of the past month, from getting the interview through Live, Work, Play to just recently submitting some information. She was definitely taken aback, and jokingly asked if I was serious. She asked for details, congratulated me, then closed my file, while still extending help if I should need it in the future.

And that's the end of that chapter!

I've been with Pinecrest Queensway for almost two years now, first with the placement I did two summers ago, then as a client. Great people, and very helpful/patient given my different requirements. I'm very thankful for their help, but even more thankful to be moving on to this new job.

Cheers!

Home Care and Work Updates

Developments!

This week I heard back from home care, setting things up. It start next week, with a guy coming in tomorrow for about an hour with some personal care (shaving, washing my back). Not much, but it's a really good start, and will more than likely increase once I get my work hours.

Speaking of that, I've been back and forth this week in communication with both my case worker and employer (can NOT believe I just wrote that...!) discussing hours and start date. They're hoping to have me start July 3rd, going from 10 to 3:30. However, those hours are currently tentative depending on how Para Transpo works out. Though, I've taken Para over there twice now, and everything was fine, so we shall see!

And that's all for now.

Cheers

Gauntlets & Mazes - Adventures in Job Prepping

Preparing for this job is certainly a new experience. I've been so used to volunteer opportunities and placements where it's basically been like "Thanks for applying..what do you like to do..good, your in!" that this process is sort of mind-boggling (in a good way).  At times, just in the last couple weeks, it's kind of felt like running a gauntlet.

Interview, go!, security check, go!, new routine, home care, and so on!

Like today. I had to go get fingerprinted at a rather large government complex I've never been to before. I get to this place and ask for help finding the specific department. The people I asked weren't sure, so they send me to one location. Several hallways, tunnels, and doorways later, and I'm there. I ask this area's receptionist, and she gives me fairly vague directions. After a few minutes trying orient myself, I give up and go back to the first location. Armed with better, more specific directions, I go back, find what I was originally looking for and get fingerprinted. Turned out I got dropped off at the wrong building, which is absolutely something I would do! Also, this took the better part of half an hour.

There were so many twists and turns, and ups and downs that I honestly felt like I was making my way through the Labyrinth! I half expected to meet the Minotaur on my way back.

Instead, what I found was a food court, so my epic journey ended with a danish and latte and a decent sun tan from waiting for Para Transpo.

Not sure what the next phase of this experience will be, but hoping it's a little less mythical than today.

Cheers!

Global Community

Reading about this weekend's G7 summit as a Canadian, all I could hear in the back of my mind was the chorus to "Why Can't We Be Friends" by War.

I don't pretend to know the first thing about tariffs or trade and, frankly, I don't really want to. However, and I've said this before, I can't stand bullying, and that's something I did see happen this weekend. I'm very impressed with Canada's Prime Minister Trudeau, standing up for both himself and the country the way he has.

It's an example I think the world needs right now. We need to stand up to bullies, without being bullies ourselves. We, as a whole, also need to reach out to each other and work together, as best and safely as possible, and not alienate ourselves from each other.

We're a global community, whether we like it or not, so we might as well act like it, be nice to each other, and at least try to get along.

Cheers!

Success!!!

Well, the interview/meeting about that job went very well.

Pending some paperwork (that hopefully shouldn't take long to process), I finally have an actual, on-site, paid job!!!

It'll be a part-time, now six-month, data entry position with a government department scanning documents and maintaining one of their databases, with additional tasks if and when I want to do more.

While I'll know more when the paperwork clears, the schedule seems pretty stable, with flexibility of hours to allow for Para Transpo, something I addressed as a must-have when I first joined with Live, Work, Play for help with job-searching.

Nice people, nice place. And, I'll get a cubicle and name-plate when I start, so that's pretty awesome!

I still can't believe I have a job! I know I've volunteered lots and worked very briefly with a call-centre, but I've never done anything like I'll be doing with this. Very exciting!

Stay tuned for further developments.

Cheers