Discrimination against shoppers who cant read

jack_of_all

Yes Techno, I'm sure they get all the benefits they are entitled to, as far as social services is concerned, I tried and they only get involved over 25 years of age if someone is in danger or living in severely bad conditions. I am quite good finacially, and I'm happy so say nearly 2 years ago I jumped on one of the last trackers available in 2008 and at present my 1.44% mortgage rate is great, got a year left before I need to look at remortgaging. I recieve a booklet about a local carers group they offer activities and meetings. Most of the activities you would think I was the disabled one, sounds ungrateful but if I got some time I wouldn't want to spend it with other carers talking, I'de rather have a night out, I miss it so much. Carers are self indulged with there own problems and don't make the best company, me included. I asked for respite in January to deal with my mothers funeral, my brothers were not going to attend and was told that 3 days was too short notice. I find that you are best relying on yourself, if you ask for a little help and get let down it feels unreasonably bad. I have been suprised over the last six years by how many people including family I know, liked and really rated will not help you because you can't help them much anymore, yet I still help other people unconditionally. I'm not a mug, or a victim, I can walk away if I ever wanted to. You can easily spend more time and effort trying to get help than the time you will save if you actually get any. I get the hump over lots of little things like trying to administrate their bank accounts if you haven't got documented power of attourney. administrating their utilities in a different name, I changed them to my name for ease then they don't have any houshold utility bills in their name which is pricless ID when they don't have driving licences, passports or even a credit history, just getting them bank accounts was a nightmare becaude of this. I am also a mad inventor and after 3 years of developing my new product will make it all up to myself soon, don't ask how I am managing this on top of everything else cos I don't know, It must be blatent stubborness in the face of such obstacles. One minute I'm ironing or got my hand down the toilet, next I'm on the phone to China striking deals for 1000's of components, one day this will all be an amazing storey to tell.

WhiteHorse

The odd thing is that 'illiterate' people always seem able to recognise different banknotes without difficulty ...

geordie_joe

jack_of_all wrote: »

I get some from asda and some from wiko and stick to the same products religously that they have learned to Identify.

This is it, they can learn to identify products.

The thing to do is figure out how they learned those products, then do the same thing with new products.

What happens when one of the products they have religiously learned changes? Do you stop buying the product in it's new packaging, or new name, or do they learn the new name/package.

donny909

Not read every post in here but if it's not been mentioned before there could be another solution.

Teach them to look at and learn words as pictures!. That way even when packaging does change they can still relate to the word as a picture to know what's what. I'm pretty sure I've read in the past that teaching to think of words as pictures has worked out quite well and solved issue like this. And I gather doing so even helps learning to read better at the same time to.

Techno

Good on you for keeping going and I hope one day to read about your invention. Things may be different in Wales (not sure where you live Jack) but social services have a duty to assess the needs of the carer and assess and provide appropriate care for people with a learning disability (linked to whatever eligibility criteria they have in place) - what would they do if you walked away tomorrow? A lot of carers I know have the same feelings as you - rely on yourself then you can't be let down but what happens if something happened to you and you couldn't look after your brothers? They would have to step in then. Sometimes fighting on your own doesn't seem to get you anywhere and I agree that at first glance the time and effort you have to spend can seem like a waste of time.The reason I mentioned any local learning disability voluntary orgs is that they can really help to support you and get the support for your brothers they are entitled to. I know what you mean about carer's groups many carers are older and their concerns (and need for light relief) may not be the same as yours! But please - don't give up - there is help out there and once it's in place, extra help is easier to come by.

liz545

Just a thought - could you look in your local pound shop for stickers that show different foods - like this that you could use to label food that doesn't have see-through packaging?

Owain_Moneysaver

WhiteHorse wrote: »

The odd thing is that 'illiterate' people always seem able to recognise different banknotes without difficulty ...

A lot of effort goes into UK currency design to make the notes distinctive for people with visual and learning disabilities.

jack_of_all

geordie_joe wrote: »

This is it, they can learn to identify products.

The thing to do is figure out how they learned those products, then do the same thing with new products.

What happens when one of the products they have religiously learned changes? Do you stop buying the product in it's new packaging, or new name, or do they learn the new name/package.

Its not hard to figure out that they rely on different appearnces.
If product packaging changes or I want to change a product, as long as it is not too similar to the other products they can learn the changes, with labelling of some supermarket budget tins the products are too similar, almost identical if you can't read.
Last year I bought a budget box of creme bath from a warehouse, but it was too similar to the asda shampoo for one of my brothers and he used them in reverse, Noticed after a big bottle of shampoo was gone in around a week, I just bought an Asda bubble bath used it then put the creme bath into the asda container problem solved.

kinkyjinks

jack_of_all wrote: »

I have relied heavily on home made labels for all sorts of things, I am not trained in care nor am I paid to care, I have to take extra earning opertunitues as I can manage them cos I want to have a life too, I usually do shopping at Asda after midnight cos I,m just too busy.

The answer to coping is efficiency and you can't get more efficient than removing a job, Asda have done that for me with picture labelling of most their own budget brand.

Funny thing is they both cook ok with teaching and regular reinforcment

Hi there. It's a problem that I've never thought about before and must exist for lots of people for various reasons. I think you've answered your question with the bits of your post I've chopped up.

You say you've used home made labels for other things. My solution would be to always place say tins of tomatoes in the same place on the shelf, then maybe seperate the tomatoes from the beans (for example) with an easily identifiable tin like tuna. I would then use a laminated picture either on the inside of the door or on the end of the shelf and that's where that product ALWAYS lives. I know that in the short term it's another job, but you have said that regular reinforcement has enabled them to cook so hopefully a month or 2 of positive reinforcement will mean that long term the job is removed.

On a completely different note, you should look into respite breaks to give yourself a little time just for you now and again.

clairehi

Hello everyone!

Going back to the OPs original point I think he is absolutely right and he makes a very good point.

Under the Disability Discrimination Act, it is the law that shops must make reasonable adjustments to ensure that disabled people have access to services - which in this case I believe would include clear (non-text) labelling on supermarket food packaging.
I quote from directgov.uk.
"Under the DDA, it is against the law for service providers to treat disabled people less favourably than other people for a reason related to their disability. Service providers have to make 'reasonable adjustments' to the way they deliver their services so that disabled people can use them.
Examples of reasonable adjustments include:

• installing an induction loop for people who are hearing impaired
• giving the option to book tickets by email as well as by phone
• providing disability awareness training for staff who have contact with the public
• providing larger, well-defined signage for people with impaired vision
• putting in a ramp at the entrance to a building as well as steps

What is considered a 'reasonable adjustment' for a large organisation like a bank may be different to a reasonable adjustment for a small local shop. It is about what is practical in the service provider's individual situation and what resources the business may have. They will not be required to make changes which are impractical or beyond their means.
Failure or refusal to provide a service that is offered to other people to a disabled person is discrimination unless it can be justified."


This is not about people who are *too lazy* to learn to read, as certain ignorant posters seem to think. I have, in a very limited way, worked with vulnerable adults who struggle to manage to live independently. Often the true extent of their difficulties are not known until the death of their parents leaves them to cope alone. I am so glad the OHs brothers have him around to look out for them. Best of luck to him.