Additional Responsibilities and Considerations As a SSP (Chapter 6)

Additional Responsibilities and Considerations as a SSP (Chapter 6)

1.  Being a companion as well as a guide: There are times you may be asked not only to guide/interpret but also travel together, share meals, conversation, free time etc.

Examples:

·  Accompanying a Deaf-Blind person who is the only DB person at a week long conference.

·  Going on a vacation/trip with a DB person, and

·  Serving as a SSP at a party

·  Hearing family gathering

2.  What is the difference between being a friend and being a companion?

·  You are really there to work.

·  You are there to “fill in the gap”

3.  Decide for yourself ahead of time, how responsible you want to be, how many hours you are willing to be on duty and be clear about that ahead of time.

·  Ask for additional support (a team person) or just time off to rest.

4.  Talk about money.

·  Who will pay for transportation (gas, tickets) and any other expenses?

·  Will you be expected to pay for your own meals and if so will you have an input as to where you eat?

5.  If you are accompanying a Deaf-Blind person to a community event or party, be clear about your plan.

·  Are you just giving him a ride, or to accompany him throughout the evening or something in between?

6.  When accompanying a Deaf-Blind person and s/he is talking with someone else, keep sufficiently close so that by physical contact she will know you are there and so that she can easily get your attention if s/he needs to.

·  When sitting, touch knees

·  A light touch in a crowd

·  This not only reassures the DB person but gives him/her a useful backdrop information about which direction you are looking, whether or not you are talking with someone else, how you are feeling etc.

7.  If you leave briefly, let the D-B person know where you are going (ex: to the restroom, to talk to someone, outside for a cigarette) so s/he will have a sense of where you are and how long you will be gone.

·  If you leave and do not plan to return, see that he knows where he is, who else is there.

8.  Make sure the Deaf-Blind person is comfortable.

·  If you leave for a short time and if the DB person is not sitting down, he may need something substantial to touch (to keep his bearings) while he waits for you to return. Choose a place that is not in the direct sun (as it will get hot), in a draft or in the way.

9.  Be aware of traffic patterns.

·  Notice how and where people are moving around the room. Don’t leave the DB person standing in a hallway or in a doorway where s/he is likely to be in the way.

10.  If it seems appropriate, introduce the DB person to other people.

·  Meeting new people is difficult when you are blind and deaf.

·  Other people even Deaf people are sometimes shy around DB people, New friendships often begin with an introduction.

·  If it is just the two of you, off on your own for some fun, you may want to think of an extra activity, as well as a meal out.

11.  Tipping may be an issue.

·  Many DB people are on a very limited budget.

·  They have probably never worked as a server or even known anyone who has.

·  They may be stuck in an older version of tipping at 10 or 15%.

·  They probably do not get much service when you are not there as most restaurant staff do not have skills to communicate well with a DB person.

·  Don’t let yourself be stuck always adding more to the tip or walking away from the table feeling bad that the server got stiffed. Talk about it. Maybe you will have more picnics or coffees and fewer meals out.

·  If you are significantly better off than the DB person, maybe you won’t mind simply paying for the tip, but it should be a conscious decision and talked about, not something that builds resentment.

12.  Some DB people enjoy talking/signing while walking.

·  There will be moments, when you must attend to traffic or whatever.

·  A simple squeeze of the DB person’s hand or “wait a minute” finger will let him/her know s/he needs to wait a moment.

·  Let him/her know when all is clear and you are free to listen/talk again.

·  Remember, talking while going up or down stairs or while crossing a street is generally NOT a good idea.

13.  If you are talking or walking and you are interrupted by someone, let the DB person know why you stopped.

·  Interpret conversations if possible

·  Try to include the DB person in the conversation

·  If that is not possible, excuse yourself and return to the DB person. You can imagine how annoying it is to the DB person to have to stand by in ignorance while you chat at length with someone else.

·  If you have forgotten names do not let that stop you from introducing them. Develop your own techniques for getting past that embarrassment.

14.  Try to internalize these ideas and think of them as techniques rather than rules. The idea is to be considerate rather than to be “correct”, and to “be safe”, comfortable and clear. Remember to:

·  Think about things in context, if you are consistent and there is nothing unusual going on, the DB person will know or understand what is going on without being specifically told.

·  If you are walking and pause at street corners to wait for the signal light to change to cross, you do not need to tell him/her each time what is happening.

·  If you want to stop and take off your jacket, then it is a good idea to inform the DB person.

·  Familiar routes will only need pauses for stairs, rails and such.

·  Unusual or unexpected obstacles such as revolving doors, escalators, obstructions etc will need a word or two before proceeding.

·  Allow yourself plenty of time

·  Communicate and talk things through

·  Try to think ahead