We never want the return of those days. My experience is that a large number of people within the community constantly ignore people with communication impairment. Therefore to get a message across people with communication impairments need to be more forceful and clear than most other members of the community. We do not need people putting extra barriers within the process. Friendships, co-dependency and power relationships all impact on the ability of the person to send and receive messages.
Misinterpretation is covered up with humour, distractions and assumptions.
It is essential that people working closely with people who have communication impairment have a clear idea what their role is and the limits of that role. This means that they may be a friend of the individual but when they are working as a partner that friendship does not interfere with their other role. Advocates need to be careful to ensure that this role is different to communication partner. Each role has its expectations and it is important that they are not blurred by taking on another role. I know it becomes difficult when there is limited staff and resources and it may not be possible to get an independent communication partner but strategies must be put in place to protect that relationship.