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Choice: what, when and why? Exploring the importance of choice to disabled people
- Authors:
- RABIEE Parvaneh, GLENDINNING Caroline
- Journal article citation:
- Disability and Society, 25(7), December 2010, pp.827-839.
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
This paper reports evidence from an ongoing qualitative longitudinal study into the realities of exercising choice about support and related services as experienced by disabled and older people and their families. Findings are reported from the first round of interviews, conducted in 2007-08, with 27 young people (aged 13-21) with degenerative/progressive conditions and 34 of their parents, 30 adults and older people with fluctuating support needs, and 20 adults and older people who had recently experienced the sudden onset of a disabling condition. There was considerable diversity among each of these groups in terms of gender, ethnicity and household composition. Key findings are discussed under the headings of healthcare, equipment, housing and adaptations, education/training, social care, employment, and leisure and transport. Almost all respondents felt that having choice was important, however, this is only meaningful if the choices are ‘real’. The choices considered to be important and the way choice was prioritised was shaped by the respondents age and the nature and severity of their condition and also by previous experience of services, future expectations, the availability of information, individual preferences, family responsibilities and the role of others providing support. The importance of learning over time and how this can shape experiences of choice making was also highlighted. Implications of the findings for policy and practice are discussed.