We support research into enabling effective and consensual decision-making for people living with cognitive impairment, many of whom also live with mental illness.
Supported decision-making assists people with cognitive impairment to make decisions about their day-to-day lives, such as decisions about their healthcare, housing and finances.
What is supported decision making
Most people seek help from families, friends and professionals when we make major decisions about our lives.
Supported decision-making is the formal and informal supports given to people who might have problems making decisions related to a cognitive impairment. Supported decision-making enables people to exercise their human rights as citizens, and self-determination.
It has the potential to improve mental health and wellbeing and support recovery.
The research project
We have supported an Australian Research Council (ARC) Linkage Grant, Effective Decision-Making Support for People with Cognitive Disability to explore how to provide effective decision-making support to people with an acquired brain injury or an intellectual impairment.
The research will result in the development of a generic capacity building tool to build the capacity of informal support networks, such as family to help people make decisions.
