THEMES IN THIS TESTIMONY
Family Life  
Water  

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Anonymous

(POLAND 32)

Sex

female

Age

45

Occupation

manager of social welfare home

Location

P

Date

July 1999

summary

The narrator is the manager of the Social Welfare Home and most of this interview concerns the response of the employees of the home and its residents to the flood. In particular, the disaster encouraged a “wonderful co-operation of the staff with the dwellers … despite the hard work and the tragedy all were smiling, and it was the most important to me”. There was not too much distress or depression afterwards, as the staff “played a role of the best psychologist, because they trust us the most and we were with them”.

detailed breakdown

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Section 1  Her duties as the manager of the Social Welfare Home, which are primarily keeping residents happy and feeling “safe and loved”.
Section 2-4  The day of the flood. People were rescued first; the next priority was the car, which was used to take people on trips or to hospital; then the new computer.
Section 5-6  Describes the home, the residents, the support their families provide. Some residents are in their 30s and disabled. Feels society’s views towards the disabled have changed: one they would stare at anyone in a wheelchair, not they pay no attention.
Section 7  Changes that have occurred to the Social Welfare Home and its environment over the past 50 years. Used to have its own farm and animals. Her dream is that residents feel as “at home”, calm and relaxed as is possible: “We do our best to make it [a home], but it is not their own home - that is the truth. They dream of their own family home.”