An insight into disability support during COVID-19 by Emma Doherty
When the pandemic took hold in March 2020, organisations supporting people with disabilities were forced to adapt their services in-line with the restrictions that were put in place. I hope to highlight how three organisations managed to do this in different ways to meet the particular needs of the people they are supporting.
Headway- the Brain Injury Association is a UK-wide charity that works to improve life after brain injury by providing vital support and information services. Over the last 12 months within Northern Ireland, due to the pandemic, all outreach work has been undertaken through virtual platforms.
I am a member and volunteer with the Foyle Outreach group and along with the Omagh and Strabane groups have met weekly over Zoom. Over the past year we have taken part in a wide range of activities such as yoga, meditation, arts and crafts, ‘brain fitness’, quizzes and tai chi.
Some weeks we don’t have an activity planned and we use this time just to relax and enjoy some chat as a group.
The regular zoom meetings have been great for reducing social isolation, particularly for members who were required to shield for a time. Several new members have joined Headway in the past year, and they have been able take part in the online programme with the aim of joining groups in person when it is safe to do so.
In addition to our weekly zoom meetings, we have also been encouraged to take part in additional online events and courses organised by Headway. These have included talks by guest speakers and opportunities, for example, to take part in a mindful horticultural course and a regional drama club.
Headway members who could not access the internet were given regular 1-1 support over the phone and through texts as they were unable to access the group support sessions online.
The Foyle Stroke Survivors (part of the Stroke Association) is another group who had to adapt their service when they were no longer able to hold weekly face to face meetings. Michelle Crawford, the lead volunteer with this group describes the strategy the volunteer team used:
“We had initially thought of using online platforms to stay in touch, keep our members connected and offer support and activities. However, a number of our members did not have access to the internet, could not use technology or simply did not like working online. These members preferred more traditional forms of communication. To suit the needs of all our members we decided that once a month, our volunteers would provide “check in” telephone calls which our members enjoy and look forward to. Every month our members are provided with an activity pack, this has proved extremely popular. We post some packs but make the extra effort, to hand deliver to those members, who live on their own. The activities are fun and designed to practice and encourage important skills such as fine motor skills, cognitive skills, speech and language skills. Activities generally include: crafting, quizzes, recipes, word searches, tongue-twisters, poems, paint by numbers and a favourite, ‘tell us a story’, where members enjoy filling out what they have done that week and writing their goals for the upcoming week. The response to our lockdown programme is both heart-warming and encouraging. Our members feel valued, cared for and supported in such restrictive worrying times.”
The Cedar Foundation Inclusion Works programme supports adults with Physical Disabilities, Acquired Brain Injury and ASD. The programme delivers vocational rehabilitation covering Education, Employment and/or Community Inclusion, tailored to each individual and their needs. The Cedar foundation took a dual approach during the pandemic. For instance, some participants were signposted and given support to attend various online courses. It was through this programme that I became aware of the Holwell Trust Future Leaders Programme. One to one catch up meetings between case officers and clients are also carried out using video conferencing platforms. Service users who could not access the internet were offered contact via the telephone with training worksheets, sent out in the post. Teresa Green, an Inclusion Works participant described the programme as “my lifeline during the pandemic when isolation was emphasised.”