Editor's Blog0 min ago
Fuming
A new member of the adult social care has been to see my oldster. (I'm sure they only come to make sure they are still alive and not battered black and blue)
'How are you?' she asked him. 'I'm doolally tap' he told her. He is in a good mood today.
She told him he can't say that, that's not a word she uses. She made an issue of it until I put my foot down. He is now confused and upset.
As I saw her out I told her that it is a phrase that he grew up with, understands the meaning of and doesn't frighten him. People usually laugh when he says it. I reminded her that tolerance and understanding should be extended to older people, too. That he can't be expected to keep up with modern mores and allowances must be made.
She's gone off in a huff. I dread to think how she would have reacted if he were in a bad mood or having an 'episode'.
Square peg, round hole came to mind.
Answers
No best answer has yet been selected by barry1010. Once a best answer has been selected, it will be shown here.
For more on marking an answer as the "Best Answer", please visit our FAQ.Anyway it's the local town in "It ain't half hot mum" !
Indeed it is, Tora. Deolali was the location of a real transit camp for troops waiting a passage home. Some of them had to wait months and the heat was said to have driven some of them crackers, hence the term (and the title of that excellent series).
Shame about the social worker's sensitivities, ken.
"She told him he can't say that,..."
He very clearly can, because he did. Perhaps she means he ought not to.
"...that's not a word she uses."
Perhaps she should extend her vocabulary. She might then be better able to relate to her older clients without trying to control what they say whilst giving them the impression she is walking around with a broomstick stuck up her backside. This notion that people in public services can tell their clients what they can and cannot say needs to be pushed back - hard.
I've heard of dolally but not tap, I just googled it & find it even has a Wikipedia page;
https:/