DDWA Health Circle & Supported Decision Making

DDWA Health Circle &
Supported Decision Making
Developmental Disability WA is hosting regular opportunities for members to talk about the
health issues that affect them and to be part of designing resources, information, skills and
education to help them have a strong voice in the health care of themselves or the people
they support.
Our first Health Circle will focus on supported decision making and difficult decisions.
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How can I help the person I care about understand what’s happening to them?
How would I respond if a decision had to be made in a medical emergency?
How do I weigh up possible side effects when I’m making a decision about treatment?
What’s a good decision when it comes to things like sexual health?
How do I think through end-of-life care decisions for someone with a terminal illness?
Am I confident that I’ve given them the best chance of being part of this decision?
Do I have they authority to make that decision?
What does ‘dignity of risk’ mean when we’re talking about health?
These are some of the big questions that people are faced with when it comes to health care
for people with developmental disabilities. These are also very personal and ethical decisions
which can be very emotional ones too.
Supported decision making is
a way of supporting someone
who might have limited
decision making abilities to
make as many decisions as
they can. In this forum we’ll
talk about how you can bring
supported decision making to
these difficult decisions for
people with significant levels
of disability.
FRIDAY 24TH APRIL 2015
FACILITATORS—
Jaquie Mills — Jaquie is a parent of a young man with complex needs. She works in
the areas of complex communication needs, family leadership and challenging
behaviour.
Maxine Drake —Maxine is an advocate with experience in Health, Disabilities,
Guardianship, Mental Health services and helping people to negotiate with powerful
service systems.
WHAT IS THE DDWA HEALTH CIRCLE?
The DDWA Health Circle will be the key way for members to guide our work to support better health outcomes for people with developmental disabilities. In addition,
the Health Circle will help to influence decision making on disability and health by
providing a way of connecting with the Disability Health Network. The Disability
Health Network is a partnership between the WA Department of Health and the
Disability Services Commission to influence policy and service delivery to improve
health outcomes for people with a disability.
www.healthnetworks.health.wa.gov.au/network/disability.cfm
TIME—9.30am to 12.30pm
COST—Free. Morning Tea provided
RSVP—www.ddc.org.au/events-apr-2015/
VENUE—Conference Room, City West Lotteries House, 2 Delhi St, West Perth
GETTING THERE
Train—City West on Fremantle line
Bus—Green Cat (Sutherland St) or Yellow Cat (Harold Boas Gardens)
Car—Watertown (Harbourtown) Shopping Centre carpark-cash only, or Delhi St
(limited bays)
INFORMATION—[email protected] or 9420 7230 (exc Wed)