Penny is a young woman who moved into Woodland Road in the last 18 months. She has a lively and vibrant personality and is instantly likeable.
Penny doesn’t communicate using words, but uses eye contact and vocal sounds. When you spend time and get to know Penny you can get to understand her very well.
We all bring our own personalities to our interactions with Penny. Penny chooses for herself who she is going to interact with. You cannot always make it happen. All the staff here at Woodland Road can tell a story or two about interesting moments and Great Interactions that they have had with Penny.
So I took this photo of Penny and Kerry. It sums up to me, what Great Interactions are all about. It was a quiet moment where Penny and Kerry were interacting with some of Penny’s sensory items. No words as such were exchanged but some lovely eye contact and gentle hand holding. Penny was at times patting Kerry on her back.
I was talking with Penny’s Mum and Dad the other day, about how people often see the wheelchair or the disability and not properly understand that there is a person there. They said that people have said to them, “but how do you know what Penny is saying?” But you just do: it is so obvious when you take time to know who Penny is, a sentient being just like you and I.
Charley McCormack
Support Worker
Woodland Road