I guess that “makes sense” in the way that, as you’ve often illustrated, the power dynamics between staff and and the persons they’re supposed to be helping is so often the absolute opposite of what it should be.

In fact, the more I learn about such dynamics, the less inclined I am to receive aid in the form of actual staff persons, if it can be at all avoided (I’m not eligible for it yet, so I have time to think). So far, I know only one person who has a genuinely positive experience of such aid, although she didn’t until quite recently, and I know I would not be helped by what works for her.

However, even when the person helping me is very aware and respectful, it seems the power can be shifted in odd ways through of the expectations and behaviour of others. I had a doctor’s appointment today, and was accompanied by an autistic friend, who could “translate” for me and fill in when I lost functional speech. She also appears less autistic, and it didn’t take long until they were discussing me, instad of me describing my needs.

Even though she herself had no such desire, the doctor’s behaviour made it so, especially upon hearing that I was autistic. It was very interesting to study, now that I know to look for such things.

Argh, getting post-length again. I’m writing an entry about that particular visit, and I guess it spilled over here. Ah well.

I covered some vaguely-related things in my recent post on do-gooderism (which makes sense given that I have based this post after ideas I had while writing the rest of these posts). Namely, not just the providing of jobs, but the providing of work that is “meaningful” to staff as opposed to work that is meaningful to the ones it’s supposedly being done for.

Over here (Sweden), they seem to be focused more on providing services (i.e. persons doing things for you) than actual problem solving. So for instance, an autistic friend of mine needed a dishwasher, but they couldn’t help her with money for that. They could provide her with a person who came to her home and did the dishes for her, something she absolutely didn’t want, for various (valid) reasons.

Generally, the important thing seems to be creating work for as many support staff as possible, since it’s preferred over much cheaper and more effectice solutions. I’ve witnessed several other similar situations. I don’t understand it, but I guess someone does.

Hmm… This seems to be my thoughts on both this and Another interesting study in practicality. I think. I’m too tired to figure it out properly.

Oh, and it’s elmindreda, not Elmindreda.