The barriers disabled people can face
Living with a progressive neurological disorder inspired Caremark Doncaster customer Toyah Wordsworth to create and launch a game which educates and informs the people who play it about the barriers disabled people can face. In this article we discover more about the game and the support we provide to Toyah.
Toyah made the first prototype of the ‘Removing Barriers’ game, which has a similar format to Monopoly, in 2005. Now it is available via specialist games publisher, Focus Games.
It can also be played in the Danum Gallery, Library and Museum. It has been adopted by South Yorkshire disability charity Live Inclusive, which Toyah is very proud of.
Toyah was 13 years old when she was diagnosed with Friedreich’s Ataxia. It is a rare, progressive neurodegenerative disorder that causes a loss of muscle coordination and strength, primarily affecting the nervous system.
Caremark Doncaster support Toyah
Now aged 44, Toyah is in a wheelchair. She needs 24/7 care and uses her personal budget to employ Personal Assistants to support her, with Caremark Doncaster also engaged in her care.
We provide 10 hours cover at the weekend and overnight ‘sitting’ support once a week. During this time, our Care Assistants help Toyah with her personal care, meal preparation and feeding support, medication, and general companionship.
Despite the severity of her condition, Toyah has never been one to wallow in self-pity. As well as toiling for years to get her game the way just perfect, she is also the Founder/Owner of Equal Equality, a community interest company. She also delivers talks and training on disability.
One of the biggest challenges we face is lack of awareness of disability, and that’s why I created the Removing Barriers game,” Toyah explains.
“It’s inspired by my own lived experiences. It deals with mental health conditions, learning difficulties, physical, visual and hearing impairments, and other disabilities people may have.
“It covers topics such as accessibility, adaptability, and understanding. My hope is that when people play it, they will have much greater knowledge about disability and the barriers people with disabilities face. They will also learn how these obstacles can be overcome.”
“The support from Caremark Doncaster is excellent”
Caremark Doncaster is now exploring how Toyah’s game can become part of our staff training. Given we have many customers living with a range of disabilities, this is important.
Toyah said: “I think the support I receive from Caremark Doncaster is excellent. I would be very happy for my game to give staff an even greater understanding of disability.”
“Through the way I live my life, I aim to inspire people, disabled or not. I believe that anybody can achieve and change anything in their life. The words ‘I can’t’ are not part of my vocabulary. I know this is something Caremark feel strongly about as well.”
About Caremark Doncaster
Like Toyah, Caremark Doncaster’s services are personalised to the individual needing care. Whether it’s something simple as help with meal preparation or companionship, through to more complex care support, including live-in care, please visit our Care Services in Doncaster page. You can see how we can help you, or someone you know.