In your role you will need to support individuals to make informed choices about various aspects of their care and support.
This will include daily choices such as what to wear and what to eat.
Here are some examples:
Maria
“Hello. I’m Maria and I have motor neurone disease.
I can only communicate by blinking.
Ask me closed questions which require a “yes” or “no” answer. I can communicate my choices by blinking once for yes and twice for no.”
“Hi my name is Lucy.
I have a spinal injury and need a wheelchair. I am generally a happy person and I have a job.
My mind is completely unaffected so there is no reason you should make decisions for me or treat me differently.
Oh and I love sports, particularly the rough and dangerous ones!”
Lucy
Sal
“Hi I’m Sal.
I have learning difficulties.
I can only communicate by pointing.
Ask me questions using pictures and objects.
This helps me to make choices about my life and what I want to do today.”
Don’t give me too many choices as I get confused, this one or that one usually works best.
Finding the most appropriate method of communicating with a person enables you to support them in making informed choices.
If there is a barrier to communication, work with your manager or the individual’s key people to overcome this.
Choices sometimes have to be balanced with risk. It is perfectly acceptable for people to take some risks. Your role is to help individuals to identify the choices, to highlight risks and understand the consequences. This is empowering them to live independently, even if their choices are limited.
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