For people who use services, their families, and supporters
The use of Person-Centered Practices is a way of assuring that people with disabilities and older adults have the same rights and responsibilities as other people, including:
Expressing what they want in their everyday lives
Taking and/or maintaining control of their lives
Making their own choices
Connecting and contributing to the community
Having opportunities to improve their lives and have joy, happiness, and purpose
Seeing family and friends as often as they like
Managing their own money and other resources
Agencies are respecting you and your rights if they:
Listen to you
Work together with you and whomever else you choose (family, friends, neighbors) to support you in living the life you want
Offer you choices about when, where, and how you get your supports—and honor those choices
Help you:
Plan better for the present and the future
Work and/or contribute in other ways to your community
Be involved in groups, organizations, and social activities that interest you
Learn new things
Stay healthy and safe
Agencies that use person-centered practices:
Support staff members in making you the center of planning.
Provide staff to you based on matching staff skills and personality to your needs.
Make sure that staff members know their responsibilities (those things they have to do) and know where they can use judgment and creativity (where they can try different ways). They also know what is private and respect your privacy.
Are flexible and creative in the ways they support you.
Frequently ask, “What is working, what is not working, and what do we still need to learn?”
Agencies that use person-centered practices may also help you develop a plan and review and update it on an ongoing basis—so the plan changes with you. This plan may include:
A positive description of you--what people like and admire about you and what your talents and gifts are.
Who is important to you--this may include family, friends, and paid professionals.
What is important to you--your likes, preferences and routines.
What is important for you--what you need to stay healthy and safe.
What others need to know or do to support you.
How you prefer to communicate.
Characteristics of the people who best support you.
An action plan that says who will do what by when.
Evidence that the plan is updated as your needs and preferences change.