Rochelle Monte has been doing the Good Work on TV and Radio
This is just a comment really.
One of the Champions, Rochelle Monte, has been admirably determined in pressing for better pay and working conditions for home care workers - if she succeeds, it will of course probably mean that the patients receive better care as well.
I e-mail from a public library, and I send out 'Christmas e-mails': yesterday I had got a pre-typed 'Happy Christmas' message to send to Rochelle on a memory stick, but couldn't log-in to Yahoo (I could get into Yahoo this morning, and sent the message to Rochelle - this afternoon the problem is back, and neither I nor other people can get into Yahoo in the library). I had to change my Christmas e-mail, to congratulate Rochelle for her appearance on BBC Radio 4 yesterday tea-time, and then she popped up again on the BBC TV New Channel when I tuned in to it about 9-20pm.
I don't know if anyone else saw, or heard, Rochelle, but I found her pieces moving and powerful - while people like Rochelle are willing to speak out, there is at least some hope !
Fantastic news and well done to Rochelle - I didn't hear the broadcast but by the write up you have given us Mike, it sounds like an invaluable piece - thank you Mike for bringing the message to our attention. Jan
Totally agree, it was a really powerful piece. I also found Paul Burstow's comments on BBC Breakfast very balanced and thoughtful. The Home Care worker they had on that piece really demonstrated the ways in which working with Dignity and Respect enhanced the life experience of at least one customer. I think if we can start to get the message across that if we treat staff with respect and dignity they can then respond to customers in a much more appropriate way. But whilst we are in a world that doesn't see social care as an important role or profession we are struggling. Let us fight to make the living wage a reality and the profession of social care something that we not only aspire to but value.
Thankyou all for your continued support and wise words. It was on this forum I read that many champions were also activists. I never saw myself as an activist or even a whistleblower, yet these are titles in now proud to have attached to my name! All I have wanted is someone to address the issues relating to the poor care I have witnessed. And after many years of shouting I really do believe people are starting to listen. It hasn't been an easy journey, one employer determined to get me out accused me of being a safeguarding risk to customers, medication helped and once I got through the fog I jumped back into the fight. I am very lucky to have found work with an amazing company Home Instead Senior Care, who fully support my fight and pride themselves on quality care. I won't give up yet, this is too important.
I've just sent an e-mail to Rochelle (and Yahoo 'crashed' again soon afterwards) explaining that I think she is both a more caring person than I am, and also much braver: I think speaking out from Rochelle's position takes courage, whereas my 'bothering the upper-reaches with 'nerdy analytical stuff' takes no courage at all.
But this is just wrong - I'm not sure if it will ever be stopped, but Rochelle's
'It hasn't been an easy journey, one employer determined to get me out accused me of being a safeguarding risk to customers, medication helped and once I got through the fog I jumped back into the fight.'
is all too common, horrible when anybody experiences it, very damaging to the 'whistleblower', and unless it can be stopped, a huge impediment to improving care.
I repeat, Rochelle is in my opinion, very brave and to be admired.
Rochelle's video diary was mentioned in BBC Radio 4's 'thought for the day' this morning, when the speaker was talking about loneliness.
I don't know if this is possible, but I think it would be good if Rochelle's video diary, or its audio, or a transcript - probably a condensed 'highlights' version - could be made available online somewhere as what is usually called 'a resource'.
BBC: VIDEO: A week in the life of a care worker - Rochelle Monte, http://t.co/p3ryrQElI4
Taken my time, but here is the link for news program. As always Mike thankyou for your continued support.
Hi Rochelle,
If that is the piece I heard/saw on radio/TV, I'll re-listen to it tomorrow (these library computers need you to bring your own headset for sound, and I don't normally bring one - but I also want to re-listen to what Karol Sikora said on the BBC on Jan 2nd, so I've got 2 things to listen to tomorrow. Prof Sikora has now got me confused - looking for a transcript {which isn't available - but it seems an audio clip is} of what he said on BBC Radio 4, I came across a link to something he wrote in the Mail which seems to say essentially the opposite).
As for your piece, so far as I'm concerned the more people who are pointed at it, and listen to it, the better !
I've successfully viewed Rochelle's video diary piece at the above link - it is onlt short, about 5 minutes, with Rochelle's pieces being at the start and end.
I was wrong to suggest - above - that a transcript could be useful: you need to hear Rochelle talking, to 'get the emotion in her voice' [which is VERY powerful], so although you can probably 'get the point' without the video, you do need to actually hear Rochelle speaking.
I hope the piece stays available for long enough, for many people to listen to it.