Supported decision-making
Supported decision-making is a practice that enables people to make decisions about their own life and enabling the person to be involved in decisions that affect their care.
This project focuses on the importance of supported decision-making in the context for people living with dementia and produced a policy guideline for aged care providers, a consumer guidebook and other resources.
Supported decision-making is a practice that enables people to make decisions about their own life and enables the person to be involved in decisions that affect their care.
The research was conducted by a multidisciplinary group of investigators, including consumer and aged care representatives, clinicians and researchers with backgrounds in psychology, medicine, law and aged care.
Policy guidelines
This document provides evidence-based, practically-focused policy guidelines for aged care providers with tools to involve aged care residents with decisions about lifestyle activities, advance care planning and consumer-directed care.
It also includes a self-assessment audit tool, interactive case study for staff discussion and a guiding principles for policy development.
Consumer handbook
The handbook has practical tips and suggestions and provides a step-by-step approach to put supported decision-making into practice. It was derived from over 100 interviews and feedback from people living with dementia, their family members and professionals.
Supported Decision-Making: A guide for people living with dementia, family members and carers
Help sheet
The supported Decision-Making Help Sheet provides an introduction to supported decision-making, including who can be involved, some tips on how to go about the process, and links to further resources.
Supported decision-making helpsheet (English)
Supported decision-making helpsheet (simplified Chinese)
Supported decision-making helpsheet (Greek)
Supported decision-making helpsheet (Italian)
Webinars
A three part Supported Decision Making Webinar Series that explain the basic principles of supported decision-making and their application:
Webinar 1 – Human rights, dementia and supported decision-making
Webinar 2 – Supporting decision-making for people living with dementia
Webinar 3 – Supported decision-making for aged care providers
Training Workshops
A training package for aged care staff is available covering the human rights principles underpinning supported decision-making, lived experiences of people living with dementia and their family members regarding supported decision-making, a series of case-based exercises to promote a problem-solving approach to providing supported decision-making, and links to further resources.
To receive training or investigate obtaining a license to deliver your own in-house training please contact Meredith Blake at the University of Western Australia (meredith.blake@uwa.edu.au).
Publications
Supported Decision-Making in Dementia Care: Project Outcomes Report
National Plan on Elder Abuse
The project team contributed to the National Plan on Elder Abuse through submitting recommendations to the Council of Attorneys-General Working Group on Protecting the Rights of Older Australians. The recommendations in the report came out of an independently facilitated forum with 36 key stakeholders. You can download the recommendations and report here.