No help for me

Hello again CatWoman.

Forgetting about the phone for now.

I am wondering if we can break down you IT needs into smaller chunks with a view to people here being able to help out.

I already understand that you are frustrated about not being able to get help locally.

What is it that you want out of IT? What do you want to be able to do? Maybe we can work on something specific - rather than IT as a big unwieldy lump. Are you able to list the things that you would like to be able to do?

(Also, how do you use this forum? I'm guessing not a phone. Is it a PC, or Mac or something else?)

Fiona, thanks for your suggestions, I've not thought of saga or only for cruises and car insurance. Age UK as it is now, isn't actually for the whole of the UK, it would be better to call it Age England as all the devoled nations have their own versions of it and North Wales has one all of it's own. They were one of the organisations I contacted last time, that ended up with the two women sat in my kitchen showing me two phones I could buy at my local tesco. They wern't very helpful, I don't think I was quite old enough for them, even though they say they are for people over 60, I think they really want you to be over 70 or 80 and in nned of someone to sort out practicle things like getting enough benefits and fitting accesable bathrooms.

I tried the University of the Third Age, most offer courses and stuff, but not ours, they're all retiured and bored of learning stuff and just do coffee mornings, dog walks and talks that seem to be mostly men showing off thier huge metal errections to each other from their work lives. I have no interest in in big engineering, or listening to older men wrench their arms out of thier sockets trying to reach round and pat themselves on the back. I did try reaching out to them and never even got a reply.

Mark, I access the internet via a desk top pc. I'd like to sort of move away from tech for a bit, I know it's an easy thing to focus on because I'm so crap at it. But what else is there in a post diagnosis assessment thingy? People keep asking me what I want and I don't know, because I don't know whats out there, I feel like I'm being tken into a 5* restaurant, and told I can have any food in the world I'd like, but no one gives me a menu, so I end up ordering a bowl of cornflakes because its all I know exists.

I'd like some help dealing with this big grey wall that appears before me whenever I try and think of something like tech, or maths, it's like someones plonked the Berlin Wall in front of me, only theres no check points, tunnels or anyway of getting past it that I can find and believe me I've tried. I'd like some occaisional practicle help with things like having to travel further east than Bangor, everything, like shops etc are now in Llanduddno and I can't get there, the last time I went a friend took me, but she's moving back to Scotland next month. I'd like help on the occaisions that I have to fill in forms as I go to pieces when confronted with a form to fill in. Stuff like that, but because I can't "do the program" or whatever it is thst the local autism support group have decided everyone has to do they seem unwilling or unable to help. Everything with them is in a group too, I can't hear properly with groups of people around, and I can't concentrate either, I dont' feel safe and get really anxious.

Fiona, thanks for your suggestions, I've not thought of saga or only for cruises and car insurance. Age UK as it is now, isn't actually for the whole of the UK, it would be better to call it Age England as all the devoled nations have their own versions of it and North Wales has one all of it's own. They were one of the organisations I contacted last time, that ended up with the two women sat in my kitchen showing me two phones I could buy at my local tesco. They wern't very helpful, I don't think I was quite old enough for them, even though they say they are for people over 60, I think they really want you to be over 70 or 80 and in nned of someone to sort out practicle things like getting enough benefits and fitting accesable bathrooms.

I tried the University of the Third Age, most offer courses and stuff, but not ours, they're all retiured and bored of learning stuff and just do coffee mornings, dog walks and talks that seem to be mostly men showing off thier huge metal errections to each other from their work lives. I have no interest in in big engineering, or listening to older men wrench their arms out of thier sockets trying to reach round and pat themselves on the back. I did try reaching out to them and never even got a reply.

Mark, I access the internet via a desk top pc. I'd like to sort of move away from tech for a bit, I know it's an easy thing to focus on because I'm so crap at it. But what else is there in a post diagnosis assessment thingy? People keep asking me what I want and I don't know, because I don't know whats out there, I feel like I'm being tken into a 5* restaurant, and told I can have any food in the world I'd like, but no one gives me a menu, so I end up ordering a bowl of cornflakes because its all I know exists.

I'd like some help dealing with this big grey wall that appears before me whenever I try and think of something like tech, or maths, it's like someones plonked the Berlin Wall in front of me, only theres no check points, tunnels or anyway of getting past it that I can find and believe me I've tried. I'd like some occaisional practicle help with things like having to travel further east than Bangor, everything, like shops etc are now in Llanduddno and I can't get there, the last time I went a friend took me, but she's moving back to Scotland next month. I'd like help on the occaisions that I have to fill in forms as I go to pieces when confronted with a form to fill in. Stuff like that, but because I can't "do the program" or whatever it is thst the local autism support group have decided everyone has to do they seem unwilling or unable to help. Everything with them is in a group too, I can't hear properly with groups of people around, and I can't concentrate either, I dont' feel safe and get really anxious.

Thanks Fiona, I don't have anything to do an online group on/with, I have no microphone, camera or speakers, I'm not sure I have enough ports for them all to plug thier dongles into. I'm really sorry, it sounds like I'm playing the "yes, but" game and I'm really not, I hate asking for help, often because I get told things like 'you're to resourseful' when I explain what my problem is and the steps I've taken to help myself. It feels terrible that when I've got to the end of my tether and ask for help that there seems next to none out there, I was told by a pain clinic that I could teach them stuff, they still could't help me though. I think it feeds into my not knowing what to ask for or how to ask for it, because I've tried everything I can think of.

I'm not sure a home help would help there's a shortage of them round here to begin with and I can't see them being that willing to do non-domestic tasks, I can do food shopping and cleaning, dog walking, cooking and gardening. It's the more occaisional things I need help with, like needing to go to a big town, stuff like that.

Sam, thanks for replying, two women for the whole of Wales sounds about right and the waiting list isn't surprising either. What part of Wales are you in? Do you find the intergrated autism service any good where you are?

Have you considered getting a home help? I have one for 1h a week to help with the practical things (changing bed, cleaning things I never got done, or noticed), but she helps deal with mail when I let it pile up (I feel uneasy with someone being in my home, but it's a compromise!). They can help with shopping, and they might be OK about helping out finding things online? Some companies will only do your shopping for you, others will take you out to do it yourself. They could help with the forms too.

TheCatWoman said:

People keep asking me what I want and I don't know, because I don't know whats out there, I feel like I'm being tken into a 5* restaurant, and told I can have any food in the world I'd like, but no one gives me a menu, so I end up ordering a bowl of cornflakes because its all I know exists

I feel this too. Perhaps a way to start is think about the practical things you want to achieve, make a list and focus on one at a time? You probably tried this, as it sounds like you are beyond frustrated. Is the first thing to make the computer easy to use? To adjust the screen settings to be less tiring and painful? 

I also get frustrated with "check out our website for info" but there is no info. Or contact our social media stuff... I can't do these for any length of time.

TheCatWoman said:

Everything with them is in a group too

Do they do the groups online? sometimes the online rule of 1 person speaking at a time makes it easier to hear and concentrate.