SRV theme of model coherency, mindsets … and robot caregivers
A 19 July 2014 NY Times op-ed piece entitled ‘The Future of Robot Caregivers’ is worth carefully examining from a Social Role Valorization (SRV) perspective, especially in light of the SRV themes of roles, of mindsets, of the developmental model, and of model coherency. This article would be worth reading and discussing from an SRV perspective as part of a workshop or in a university course.
Wolfensberger points out the key role which assumptions play in service models (Wolfensberger, A Brief Introduction to Social Role Valorization, 2004 reprint, 108-109, 116). What are the conscious and unconscious assumptions behind the service model proposed in this editorial? What is the problem from the perspective of the writer? What does the author propose is needed to address the problem? What assumptions about human nature is such a model built upon–in terms of the human nature of those who receive help from others, and the human nature of those who provide care? Are these assumptions consistent with the developmental model approach of SRV? If not, try to come up with assumptions that would be more relevant.
What does this article communicate about the mindset of the author in regard to children and adults with significant physical and/or intellectual impairments? (Wolfensberger, A Brief Introduction to Social Role Valorization, 2004 reprint, 105-106) Is this mindset more likely or less likely to help people to gain access to the good things of life via societally valued roles?
In terms of the writer’s proposed service model, what are the non-programmatic factors raised in the article? What do you see as the more important programmatic factors, even if they are not mentioned in the article?
Drawing on SRV theory and PASSING, try to identify some potentially role-valorizing options that would be more relevant and more potent than what this editorial proposes.
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‘A Damaging Distance’
The NY Times article entitled ‘A Damaging Distance: For Israelis and Palestinians, Separation is Dehumanizing’ bears relevance to the SRV theme of interpersonal identification (Wolfensberger, A Brief Introduction to Social Role Valorization, 1998, pp. 118-120). Some of the facilitators of identification include positive contact between people, and helping people to experience the world the way another person does.
Some relevant quotes from the article:
• “the deterioration we are witnessing results from something else–the growing human distance between Israelis and Palestinians who once knew each other intimately and are now virtual strangers”
• “During the 1980s and ’90s, tens of thousands of Palestinians from the West Bank and Gaza Strip worked in Israel. They learned Hebrew and built relations with their Israeli employers. They watched Israeli television … Israelis would venture on weekends into the West Bank, where they would get their cars fixed, shop for vegetables and snack on plates of unparalleled hummus. They attended weddings of their Palestinian employees and their children. Some Israelis and Palestinians even went into business together … Today in Gaza almost no one watches israeli television and the only people who know Hebrew or know any Israelis as human beings are over 40 … Israelis can now go weeks without laying eyes on a Palestinian or ever having to think about one.”
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‘Teddy the guardian’
An interesting example of paying attention to imagery (personal appearance and possessions), and to what is normative and valued in a culture for a specific age group (children, in this case), among other things.
This helps to communicate the role of cute kid, as opposed to the patient role.
Relevant to imagery and the PASSING tool: If the teddy bear is owned a doctor or hospital, then it could be assessed under R145 image projection of miscellaneous aspects of a service. If the child or family owns it, then it would be R142 image-related personal possessions.
I imagine it also contributes to a child’s comfort level: much more fun to hug a bear than to be hooked up to machines!
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workshop or university course exercise: article “Shrewsbury Little Leaguer with autism shines as MVP”
One of the strengths of applying SRV and using the PASSING tool is that it offers a way to carry out a comprehensive analysis, taking into account a variety of relevant issues.
This June 2014 newspaper article could provide the basis for a group exercise for a Social Role Valorization workshop or for a university course assignment. The title of the article is “Shrewsbury Little Leaguer with autism shines as MVP ‘CAMDEN IS A KID WITH A SMILE’.”
The article could be analyzed in terms of many SRV relevant issues, such as societally valued roles, greater access to the good things of life, image and competency enhancement, the culturally valued analogue, heightened vulnerability, the developmental model, personal social integration and valued social/societal participation, role modification, and so on.
Marc Tumeinski
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2012 article on normalization and SRV published in the Scholarly Research Journal for Interdisciplinary Studies
The following 2012 article refers to normalization and Social Role Valorization, and draws heavily on existing SRV literature.
Tweetguest post: SRV study group in Ireland
Please see the following guest post from John Armstrong with an update about an SRV study group in Ireland.
Five people have gathered, in the home of Mary and Colm Kealy in Gort, Ireland, for the very first session of the SRVx10 Study Group to be held here. Mary Kealy (also a member of the second study group in Australia), Mary Rowan, Breda Casey, Aoife O’Toole and Rachel Cassan commenced this evening with an overview and briefing session. Most have considerable SRV experience, including PASSING, but have not previously had access to Dr. Wolfensberger’s full event, which they will be presenting the workshop to each other over the next 4 days. John Armstrong will supervise the event and provide feedback, with Lynne (his wife) providing first class catering for the group. It is hoped that the full 5 sessions will be completed in Ireland over the next two years, enabling these aspirants to better utilize Social Role Valorization in their work and personal life, and for some to continue progressing into trainer roles, having completed these introductory sessions.
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asylum architecture
My thanks to Dr Robert Flynn, emeritus professor of the University of Ottawa, shared the following link with me concerning asylum architecture. This material is relevant to the experience of so many societally devalued people. It also connects with the teaching and writing of Dr. Wolf Wolfensberger.
Marc Tumeinski
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recent blog post: “GPS – the debate on tracking equipment for people with dementia”
Read the following blog post and consider what an Social Role Valorization perspective (valued social roles, image and competency enhancement, culturally valued analog, heightened vulnerability, greater access to the good things of life, etc.) would add.
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SRV on the Brockville & District Association website
Read about why this Association for Community Involvement adopted Social Role Valorization as its guiding framework.
Marc Tumeinski
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update on the 1999 Institute of Medicine report
In 1999, the US Institute of Medicine published a report concerning dangers to all patients in hospitals. From the report:
At least 44,000 people, and perhaps as many as 98,000 people, die in hospitals each year as a result of medical errors that could have been prevented, according to estimates from two major studies.
Online only version of full report is here.
Brief version is here.
From an SRV perspective, this report highlighted the heightened vulnerability of any hospital patient, and SRV would caution of the extreme heightened vulnerability of patients who were also societally devalued, due to impairment for example.
Based on a survey of four new studies, this 2013 report published in the Journal of Patient Safety estimates a much higher number of patient deaths. From the 2013 report:
Yet, the action and progress on patient safety is frustratingly slow; however, one must hope that the present, evidence-based estimate of 400,000+ deaths per year will foster an outcry for overdue changes and increased vigilance in medical care to address the problem of harm to patients who come to a hospital seeking only to be healed.
I do not have the background to competently comment on the accuracy of the studies or research methods used. Regardless, this report–in combination with the SRV concept of heightened vulnerability and the wound of deathmaking–speaks loudly and clearly to the ongoing need for vigilance any time a significantly societally devalued person receives hospital care.
(For more information, check out the SRVIP website for information on workshops relevant to the topic of protecting people in the hospital.)
Marc Tumeinski
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