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"Advocacy is for the people": research into the impact of independent advocacy on the lives of older people
- Author:
- BOCIOAGA Andreea
- Publisher:
- Scottish Independent Advocacy Alliance
- Publication year:
- 2014
- Pagination:
- ii, 35
- Place of publication:
- Edinburgh
This report aims to investigate the impact of independent advocacy on the lives of older advocacy partners. The study is based on qualitative data and it explores people’s perspectives of advocacy. 13 interviews were conducted at 7 different advocacy organisations across Scotland. The findings, which draw on interviews with the advocacy partners and previous literature, suggest that: advocacy can help older people maintain their independence – the support participants had accessed helped them to regain control over their own lives and situations, either by finding new accommodation, making complaints or dealing with the services around them; advocacy can help older people access relevant information and address any power imbalance - participants credited advocacy with helping them access the information they needed in order to make informed choices, challenge the status quo and achieve their goals; advocacy helps safeguard the rights of older people; for those older people suffering from a (perceived or actual) physical or cognitive impairment advocacy can offer vital support when dealing with official matters - some of the participants reported on how their advocate helped them make sense of official documents and ensured that their views were heard when raising an issue with statutory or non-statutory agencies or when making a complaint; advocacy makes the advocacy partners feel valued and listened to, improved their confidence and contributed to reduced stress when dealing with difficult issues. (Edited publisher abstract)
"Without advocacy I'd probably be dead": research into the impact of independent advocacy on the lives of people experiencing learning disabilities
- Author:
- VAJTA ENGSTROM Karin
- Publisher:
- Scottish Independent Advocacy Alliance
- Publication year:
- 2014
- Pagination:
- ii, 27
The aim of this report is to investigate the impact of independent advocacy from the view of people with learning disabilities. The study is based on qualitative data from 12 interviews conducted at 5 different advocacy organisations across Scotland. In addition, interviews with a family member as well as two advocacy workers and two advocacy coordinators took place in order to contextualise the findings further. The findings are drawn from the interviews with people with learning disabilities and comprise the following themes: independent advocacy as a unique and irreplaceable support; soft outcomes as key ‘side effects’ of advocacy – feeling listened to, increase confidence, wellbeing and self-esteem; and the relationship with the advocates as network of support. The study highlights that despite these benefits, access is still an issue and independent advocacy support is not always as available as it should be. (Edited publisher abstract)
Viability of a dementia advocacy effort for adults with intellectual disability: using a national task group approach
- Authors:
- JANICKI Matthew P., KELLER Seth M.
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Policy and Practice in Intellectual Disabilities, 11(3), 2014, pp.176-191.
- Publisher:
- Wiley
The World Health Organization's report, Dementia: A Public Health Priority, noted that the number of people worldwide affected by dementia is significant and will continue to increase. The report called on nations to address dementia by developing national plans and undertaking public health initiatives. Special mention was made of the situation of people with intellectual disability, some of who manifest high risk for dementias. In the United States, the National Task Group on Intellectual Disabilities and Dementia Practices (the “NTG”) was created to ensure that the needs and interests of adults with intellectual and developmental disability who are affected by Alzheimer's disease and related dementias—as well as their families and friends—are taken into account as part of general-population dementia health and public policy efforts, particularly as noted in the U.S. National Plan to Address Alzheimer's Disease. To this end, the NTG's multifaceted advocacy efforts have included (1) identifying best practices for providing care and services to affected adults with intellectual disability; (2) developing and identifying a functional workable administrative dementia early detection and screening instrument; (3) producing educational materials useful to families, adults with intellectual disability, and nongovernmental organisations; and (4) furthering public policy initiatives on dementia as they affect adults with intellectual disability. This article describes the origins of this group, its functions and accomplishments, as well its role with respect to national dementia advocacy, as a prototype for other national efforts that can be used to promote the interests of adults with intellectual disability affected by dementia and improve the quality of their lives. Suggested are means for replication of such an effort in other national environments. (Edited publisher abstract)
A voice of their own: a toolbox of ideas and information for non-instructed advocacy
- Author:
- LAWTON Annie
- Publisher:
- British Institute of Learning Disabilities
- Publication year:
- 2014
- Place of publication:
- Birmingham
- Edition:
- 2nd ed.
This toolbox is designed to support advocacy for people with barriers to communication and high support needs. It examines why it is difficult for some people to get advocacy support and make their voices heard, what skills are needed to find out what people want to say and how to ensure people are not only heard but also taken seriously. It contains information sheets including different tools, practical ideas and suggestions. Giving a range of examples of different ways that advocates have supported their advocacy partners, it argues that there is no one right way to do this and that advocates should rather look for ways that works for the individual they are supporting. (Edited publisher abstract)
Mental Capacity Act 2005: post-legislative scrutiny: report of session 2013–14
- Author:
- GREAT BRITAIN. Parliament. House of Lords. Committee on the Mental Health Act 2005
- Publisher:
- Stationery Office
- Publication year:
- 2014
- Pagination:
- 143
- Place of publication:
- London
The Committee’s key finding in this evidence-led inquiry is that the Mental Capacity Act 2005 is not widely implemented. To address this, the Committee recommends that responsibility for implementing the Act be given to an independent body. The Committee’s second key finding is that the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards are not fit for purpose. The Committee recommends that they be replaced with new provisions. This report considers: whether the Act is working as intended in respect of the Act’s five core principles; how to address poor implementation of the Act; advocacy and advance planning; whether the Court of Protection is appropriate (or should there be a Mental Capacity Tribunal instead); and criminal law provisions under Section 44 of the Act. It summarises and refers to cases of unlawful detention under the Act (Steven Neary), and the deprivation of liberty of an autistic man with a profound learning disability, HL at Bournewood Hospital for 32 years. It includes as a good practice example, the work by Jim Blair, a learning disability nurse consultant who explained adjustments made for effective treatment and outcomes for adults with learning disabilities appropriate to their needs. The Committee makes recommendations to Government to: work with regulators and professional bodies to ensure the Act is given a higher profile in training, standard setting and inspections; increase staff resources at the Court of Protection to speed up handling of non-controversial cases; and reconsider the provision of non-means tested legal aid to those who lack capacity, especially in cases of deprivation of liberty. Local authorities should use their discretionary powers to appoint Independent Mental Capacity Advocates more widely than is currently the case. The Government should act on the poor levels of awareness and understanding of Lasting Powers of Attorney and advance decisions to refuse treatment among professionals in the health and social care sectors. The Government should also review the criminal law provision for ill-treatment or neglect of a person lacking capacity, to ensure that the Act is fit for purpose. The Committee recommends that the House of Lords seek an update from the Government twelve months from now to find out what they have done in response to their key recommendations. An easy read version is also available. (Edited publisher abstract)