[nagdu] Follow-up

[Sarah Clark]

Follow-up is also very useful when a person's circumstances change from when 
they received their guide. For example, if a grad has a baby and wants help 
working her guide with a stroller. Since this is undoubtedly a new 
experience for the guide, it would be best to have an instructor there to 
help with the oxposure and to work on techniques.

Sarah and RJ


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Tracy Carcione" <carcione at access.net>
To: "NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users" 
<nagdu at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Thursday, April 18, 2013 10:09 AM
Subject: [nagdu] Follow-up


> The discussion about staff cutbacks got me thinking about follow-up 
> services.  Some people said that in-person follow-up is really only needed 
> for serious problems, and maybe some of us have gotten lazy and called out 
> the field rep for something we could figure out ourselves.  I'm not sure I 
> agree with these opinions.
> I like follow-up, at least in the beginning of a new partnership. I always 
> wonder if more prompt and effective follow-up would have saved my shepherd 
> from having a nervous breakdown.  Perhaps I was asking more than he could 
> give, but perhaps there were things I could have done differently.  I do 
> know that a follow-up visit near the beginning of my relationship with 
> Echo made a huge difference.  She was having a left tendency, and I asked 
> if someone could come have a look.  Not a serious problem, but it was 
> really bugging me.  A trainer came out and saw in 5 minutes that I wasn't 
> holding the harness exactly over Echo's back, and it was confusing her. 
> He fixed my position; I practiced for an hour or so, and the problem was 
> solved forever. I stopped being bugged with Echo, and our relationship got 
> a lot happier and easier.
> When I got Ben, I also had some follow-up at first.  It resolved some 
> things, and not others, but I was glad to have a bit of help.  I haven't 
> wanted any for years.  I may have someone come have a look, when I start 
> to think Ben is saying he'd like to retire, just to be sure I'm not 
> missing something.  Or I may not.
> Anyway, I think follow-up at the beginning, even for problems that don't 
> seem serious, can be really helpful.
> Tracy
>
>
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