Case study: Giovanni
Case study: Giovanni
Imagine that you work as a case manager in a large community services agency. A phone call is put through to you from a member of the public. The caller tells you that they are ringing because they are concerned about the well-being of their elderly neighbour, Giovanni. Giovanni lives alone following the death of his wife 2-3 years ago and, according to the caller, is looking increasingly thin, dishevelled, and unwell.
After discussing with your supervisor, you are asked to follow up on Giovanni's welfare by conducting a home visit. You and a colleague go to the address provided by the caller and knock on Giovanni's door. When he answers the door you introduce yourself but discover that, while Giovanni is fluent in Italian, Spanish and French, he speaks very little English. Unfortunately, you and your colleague only speak and understand English. Nonetheless, Giovanni asks you in to his home.
Your first impression of Giovanni is that he seems quite unwell - he appears to be very thin, he is coughing a lot, and his skin is almost gray in colour. You are shocked by the state of his house: it is dark and shabby and there are plates with dried up food scattered around. You notice multiple piles of newspaper, clothes, and other debris, and a strong odour of urine. The furniture, some of which is broken, is covered in dog hair and you wonder whether the dog has urinated in the house (accounting for the smell). You also notice an ashtray with a cigarette burning in it; Giovanni is also holding a lit cigarette in his hand. Your colleague peeks into the bedroom and comments that there is a radiator-style heater, with all bars on, in one corner of the room. The television is switched on and it is very loud.
Giovanni is welcoming and insists on making you a drink. On his way to the kitchen, he trips and stumbles over a mat. You try to help but he refuses and seems annoyed. In the kitchen you observe dirty dishes, food left out, and flies crawling over it all.
Soon afterwards, Giovanni says that he is tired and asks you to leave. It is clear to you that he wants to be left alone now. As you leave, you notice one of the neighbours peering at you from her window across the street.
Task overview
This assignment consists of 2 parts. Please ensure that you address each of these in your response and use sub-headings to structure your work. word guide (approximate
