A day in the life of a Community support worker

Today is Thursday it’s my Low Vision Clinic which is held at Princess Alexandra Hospital. It’s a great bit of work between Support 4 Sight and the NHS.

I usually arrive at the hospital, get parked (always fun) and then go into the eye clinic to get set up; I switch on the computer to see who is coming today, a mixture of ages from a 7-year-old, a 17-year-old and up to those in their 90’s. All bring a different need for support.

Usually, there is a mixture of new and follow up patients; a real relationship is built up and we are pleased to see people coming back more independent. This is a great clinic as most people will go away with a smile on their face and not just the patient, many carers get something out of this appointment. So many come along being unable to read and go away with a magnifier which has given them some independence or anti-glare glasses which means they are able to mobilise safely outdoors.

There are some people whose sight is so poor that magnification is no longer useful for them, but we will talk about the many ways that Support 4 Sight can help them. Most people do not know what is out there to help. One patient was eligible to have a Certificate of Visual Impairment and so we worked with a consultant to get the form filled in and sent off to the local Council.

The clinic also has raised the need to refer onto other organisations for support, this means that the clinic we run provides all round holistic support to enable people with sight loss to live as independent lives as they can.

I also deliver support in the community. This afternoon, after leaving the hospital, I had a home visit to see a young lady who is having problems with Personal Independence Payment which had been declined. Any foray into the benefits world is extremely stressful for people who have the need for this. The forms and assessments can be challenging. This was the first time we met and I needed to get a full list of her problems and needs, so that we can then work together to formulate an appeal letter so she can get the benefit that she is entitled to.

Such visits also enable a full needs assessment so that any other support can be identified and either provided by the team at Support 4 Sight or other local agencies.

This is a varied and rewarding role where no two days are the same.