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Wot A Palaver

I’m really sick and tired of this blasted curse that’s following me around.  I’m talking about essential tremors which means I’m unable to use a smart (touch)  mobile phone; or an iPad; I can’t write a long hand and I have extreme difficulty in typing. A good example of how this can obstruct social action is that I sometimes get emails asking me to mail my MP. This is just too problematic for me and I never do now (although I have a collection of several replies from the past in which he just trots out tory mantras).

This programme,  ” SpeechTexter ”  attached to Google Chrome is really valuable but frustrating at times when when it misunderstands what I’m saying and sometimes crashes losing all the text. 

I find Mac Dictation, which I have on my computer, is useless as the bulk of what I dictate comes out as unrelated nonsense. 

I’m told that Dragon Professional is the the best program to use for turning  voice into text and it will will allow you to write all sorts of documents,  including emails, by just using your voice. However, it is is prohibitively expensive for me at £294 a copy. So I’m in the process of applying for a Personal Health Budget to get one.

I’m finding that the application process is is tied firmly up in red tape and and first of all, there has to be an assessment or triage to  judge whether I’m eligible  for what the NHS terms  ” Continuing Health Care. ” after asking my GP how I went about claiming this budget I received a phone call today from a very nice lady who is a ” Social Prescriber. ”  She is employed by the district council which is unusual in itself, but she knew nothing about the budget I am seeking to apply for. She had to hang up to seek advice and when she phoned back, she told me I have to get in touch with an organisation called Beacon.

I did this online and was directed to download what they call call a Toolkit for beginning an application. Alternatively, the social prescriber said she would refer me for an adult social care assessment with a view to obtaining the the programme (extra problem here as SpeechTexter insists on USA spelling) from the ‘assistive technology department.’ 

I’m writing this as it seems to be a good illustration of how difficult it can be for disabled people to get help.

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