As people age, the likelihood of facing personal losses through serious illness or death increases. Organizations have a role in promoting and maintaining community participation for people with disabilities in later life and in providing end-of-life support.
Quality in Practice
- Support people to understand and accept end-of-life situations as family members and friends age.
- Support family members and friends to understand and accept end-of-life situations as people age.
- Offer people an opportunity to engage in end-of-life planning to clarify and document their desires regarding life-saving measures, living wills, medical powers of attorney, needs for additional insurance coverage, burial, funeral services, and the disbursement of property.
- Honor all such decisions.
- Assure that people have the same range of options as they near the end of their lives as other community members:
- additional support to stay at home
- access to hospice
- acceptance or rejection of medical interventions
- increased time with family and friend
- access to spiritual guidance
- Reject the notion that people will automatically need guardians as they near the end of their life by engaging in the actions listed above.
- Increase awareness and understanding of the meaning and impact of losses and the healing that may be achieved in mourning.
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©Copyright 2007. CQL-The Council on Quality and Leadership. Towson, MD.
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