Dear Ken,
It appears to me the students
and apprentice health workers are being paternalistic. This behavior is
from the strong influence in culture to equate severely physical
disabilities with severely limited mental capacity.
Those future health workers need some strong criticism to
unlearn the bad habit of speaking in infantile tones. They need some one on
one guidance in the appropriate way to talk to individuals. To help
improve their attitude why not suggest to them that they might be used in
the research?
Glenn Kirkindall
Portland, Oregon