Robert
Perske said in 1972, “there can be such a thing as human dignity in risk. And
there can be a dehumanizing indignity in safety!”
What
is this discussion of risk all about really?
First, it is often
really a fear of liability. So let’s get that out of the way right now. It is
important to note that the United States is a litigious society. We like to sue
each other and anyone can be sued or can sue for anything at anytime. Once we
understand that, we can more easily move past it. Organizations purchase liability
insurance and individuals can purchase liability insurance through their
renters or homeowners insurance policy. Get the insurance you think will meet
your needs for whatever role you hold within the system.
Safety is a worthy
goal, but we must be cautious that we are not dehumanizing in our quest. We
need to consider the unintended consequences of our actions. Our quest for
safety, often via overprotection, can be disrespectful to people, causing them
to lose self-esteem and become frustrated and depressed. These feelings can
lead people to rely on behavior to let us know how bad things have become. We
respond by attempting to control the behavior, make judgments that people are
not ready for any more autonomy (risk) and create an ever-downward spiral where
the person experiences more harm from our behavioral interventions than they
ever would have from taking the risk in the first place.
Now let’s use some
common sense. People with disabilities rarely ask or attempt to do things that
are truly risky. Most often, people are trying to live their lives in a way
that meets their needs. People may want to drive a car, spend some time alone,
ride their bike around town, go swimming or spend time with people who are not
paid to be with them. These are all things the rest of us adults take for
granted. We rarely, if ever, consider the risk too great.
So contemplate
believing that the people we support are fully adults. What supports would we
put in place for ourselves or any of our good friends who want to do things
that they may never have done before?
- We’d talk about those things.
- We’d research the best safety practices
and decide if that makes sense in our situation.
- We’d try something for a short period of
time or with other people who have more experience than us.
- Then we’d evaluate that experience and
make new decisions about moving forward.
- Occasionally things
will go wrong. If they do …
- Take
a look at what happened and think about what you have learned.
- Do
not over-react.
- Do
not write another policy that applies to everyone when something happens with
one person.
- Be
thoughtful. Ask people to think. Really think, not simply follow rules.
- Ask
lots of questions and include everyone – the person you support, the direct
support professionals involved, family, community members involved in the
activity.
See
where this leads you and your organization in supporting people to live lives
of meaning and fulfillment.
To download a PDF version of this QIP click here.
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