The COVID excuse

 

   I have meetings with my case workers at different agencies that assist me.  These meetings take place annually or semi-annually. 

   For the last three years, these meetings have not been taking place in-person due to the pandemic.  Before this, the case workers would come to my house for an in-person meeting at the appointed time. 

   I get why this is happening – or I think I do.  Since the agencies work with vulnerable populations, I presume it thought that the client should be protected from getting COVID.  At least that should be the reasoning. 

   The problem is that, with my speech impairment, it is hard enough answering exacting questions and communicating my needs, even with an attendant or another person present to facilitate.  At these meetings, it is important that I am clear, precise and forceful in conveying my situation and needs.  I’m at a disadvantage when on Zoom – the worker doesn’t hear me and see my complete language as well – and when, as with one of the agencies, the interview is done on the phone, forget it.  Yes, my attendant is speaking for me, but it’s like I’m not there.  Not only am I not seen, my voice, my expression, is not being heard. 

   As a result of not being heard clearly or heard at all, I think, I have had to go through an appeal process, which involves a state hearing before a judge (on Zoom at least), twice.

   I am wondering, now that the pandemic is supposedly winding down and more and more people and entities are forging ahead to normal or some kind of normal, when and if the in-person meetings will resume.  I’m happy to have the worker sit, masked, at the other end of the dining table (where they usually sat in the past). But I wonder if, and almost suspect that, it will be too easy to continue these virtual meetings, using COVID – or whatever, something else – as an excuse.  It’s easy, because it’s much easier to sit at the office or at home than to go out to clients’ homes. (Hell, I’m happy to go to the office for an in-person meeting…)   

   Don’t get me wrong.  I’m all for meeting on Zoom, as frustrating and exhausting as it can be.  Zoom has been a gift from the pandemic.  Really.  It has opened the door to making meetings easier, to saving energy, money and time, to reducing pollution and also expanding possibilities.  But, also, I think there are some meetings that should be, that are important to have and are better in person.