Posts tagged interview
Conservative compassion seems to exclude the disabled and sick | Sue Marsh
The politicians driving welfare changes have personal experience of the support they are seeking to erase In just a few weeks, the coalition’s welfare reform bill will face its final reading in the Lords.
See the original post:
Conservative compassion seems to exclude the disabled and sick | Sue Marsh
Taking care
Djevdet Osman, 78
I would say I look after my wife 24 hours a day. I wash her, do the cooking, wash the clothes and do the housework, I change her and make her bath and wash her hair. In Cyprus I was a police officer, then when we came here I worked as a carpenter, then a painter and decorator. It was hard work, but I enjoyed it. I had to retire early, in 1986, because I had diabetes, and eight years ago I had a triple heart bypass.
It’s hard to be a carer at first when you’re not are used to it, but it gets easier. Nowadays I get nervous though, when she is upset with the pain. I get distressed, but I don’t know why.
When we were young we would go out, but when you are older you are happy staying in together. I go to the cafe with my friends and to the carers‘ centre – sometimes on my own and sometimes with my wife – because it’s not good to spend all your time indoors.
Without our children, life would be very hard for us. I can’t drive now because of my eyes. I can’t do the ironing and they do all that. (more…)
Lack of Support for Disabled People ‘Hurts Society’ – Maria Miller
The new Minister for Disabled People, Maria Miller MP
A society that doesn’t properly support disabled people hurts itself, according to the new Minister for Disabled People, Basingstoke MP Maria Miller.
Speaking at the annual Independent Living Awards in Manchester, the Minister took the opportunity to introduce herself and her previous work improving access for disabled people in Basingstoke, her involvement with the Every Disabled Child Matters campaign and her ambassadorial role for Deaf Parenting UK.
“My contact with these organisations reaffirmed my belief that Britain can be a world leader when it comes to being family friendly,” she explained, “and that we have to support families no matter what barriers they face.”
Interview: Richard Dawkins
Richard Dawkins is well known for his vigorous stance against – as he puts it – the ‘God Delusion’. Able magazine recently spoke with the man to find out about the use of ‘faith’ in a scientific context.
Speaking with Richard Dawkins is rather like swimming with a shark. Elegant and sleek, his movements are precise – and if you begin to splash aimlessly about in the shallows, he’ll have you for breakfast!
As a result I found myself moving carefully when I asked him about the idea that faith is used by some – if not many – disabled people to help them through difficult times. “Faith means believing in things for which there is no evidence,” he said, deconstructing my question. “That seems to me to be a very bad reason to believe in anything if what you care about, is what’s true.
Interview: The Blind Explorer
Miles Hilton-Barber doesn’t really understand the word ‘limit’. It just doesn’t fit into his way of thinking. For most, doing a parachute jump or running a marathon would rank amongst their greatest achievements – and that’s fair enough… Miles, however, has completed 40 skydiving jumps and ran marathons across deserts and the icy plains of Siberia, oh yes and he’s cage diving with Great White Sharks and recently walked to the South Pole. Did I mention that he’s blind..? (more…)
Interview: John Gill
Able chats with John Gill, Chief Scientist at the RNIB about designing systems for disabled users…
CAN WE CHECK YOUR JOB TITLE JOHN?
It’s the rather grand title of Chief Scientist. If you’refamiliar with a government department, most government departments have a chiefscientist.
They may be chief of nothing, but they’re there to provide advicefor one’s political masters. Whether the political masters take any notice isanother matter. But they’re there to provide independent scientific advice.
SO, IS THAT YOUR ROLE IN THE RNIB?
To the RNIB but also to outside groups. I work with 40external organisations. (more…)
