My aunt and my dad both have PD. My dad's main symptom of PD is the slowness of movement and of course, it bothers him. On Saturday, he was in a shop and took his time getting his money from his wallet, in order to pay. The woman on the till tutted loudly and then muttered under her breath. My dad said to her, 'you'll have to excuse me, I'm not as quick as I once was' but she sighed again and turned her body away from him.
Did she *really* think he was being slow deliberately? Does anyone choose to be slow, on purpose??!!! Her attitude upset my dad and of course, put him under more pressure (which doesn't help matters). Later, we sent an email to their head office to complain about the way this woman had treated my dad. No matter how busy a shop is, staff shouldn't be impatient with customers who are slower than anyone else. No one chooses to be slow!
I think PUK have little cards that you can put in a wallet or on a key-ring that say something along the lines that "I have PD and need a little bit more time" ....or something similar. Enough to guide people to be helpful - or pull someone down a peg or two when necessary!
Sorry that your Dad had to put up with such behaviour which is so unnecessary....but so many people are intolerant of others eg. of Learner Drivers, or the parent with an autistic child or as in your Dad's case someone with a hidden disability.
If he had one leg or a white stick or a wheelchair....he would probably have had a different response. What am I saying!! For some people even the obvious difficulty doesn't prompt support and tolerance....I was in my PO on crutches, after breaking my foot, to buy a prepaid envelope he said he couldn't sell me one that day and to return to the PO the next day, I said I couldn't due to my foot etc and he said "Well that is your problem - not mine!" As I left the PO holding back the tears....I heard the customer behind me say "You shouldn't have spoken to her like that," and came outside to check I was OK!
Glad you contacted the head office, they should do something about it. In my case the PO followed up on my complaint and apparently that staff member had a number of complaints against him - of the same kind of behaviour - he is no longer at the same PO!!.........
"Now't so queer as folk"...as My Mum would have said
This can happen anywhere at anytime there are so many people out there who are quite frankly rude they have not got a clue. I have come across this sort of thing before. I deal with intolerance with a firm manner but I appreciate not everyone can do what i do. May I suggest if this happens again that the persons with PD looks them straight in the face and says I am so sorry for my slowness but that is what happens when you have Parkinson's. With me my tone of voice would be very clear that I was taking the pee out of the moron behind the desk ( moron is actually polite for me) and I would also get slower to wind them up even more but then I always have been a bit of a rebel. However this is done it will make a point.
I went to a meeting the other night for people with parkinsons, at a bar, when i walked in the bar man said "sorry mate this is a private function for people with parkinsons", yes that's why i'm here.
well what can i say ,i have no words that spring to mind . i get a lot of people say they never would have thought i had pd , the only thing they notice is my pduk walking stick best ever thing i bought .and sometimes people notice my dbs wires in my head .
Until recently,having achieved little old lady status in the eyes of the young it seems, I have always looked younger and even now seven years after dx.,my symptoms would only be apparent to another PWP or neuro. This led to my sitting as the sole occupant of the reception area of a local clinic waiting to be called to see the new Parkinsons nurse whom I had not yet met. After about twenty minutes of waiting during which a lady came to the swing doors and glanced in my direction several times she at last said my name with a big question mark. I did not know whether to be pleased or annoyed.
Can anyone solve this discrimination? I have e mailed , written, phoned and just about given up on rail companies.
Despite having a disabled rail card I cannot book reserved seats or passenger assistance when there is a rugby international on that day. I get all manner of excuses from the rail companies but it is, IMO, discrimination as it prevents us from travelling on that day,.
who are you booking with i use virgin east coast trains and apart from being cheapest i have never had a problem they can book seats and passenger assistance for anywhere in uk even if their trains dont travel there to show you how cheap lincoln to bristol booked as two single journeys 12 weeks in advance £38.00 total cost
Reservations were available on the outward journey but not on the return journey. Been there before and when you do go to making a reservation then it says that it is not available on that day.
