Role of social services to ensure the quality of life of persons with functional disorders

Inga Skestere, chairperson of “Latvian Movement for Independent living”

inga.skestere@lkndz.lv, phone +372 26176901 , www.lkndz.lv

11th annual Nordic ALS/MND Conference

Latvian Movement for independent living. Who we are...

„Latvian movement for independent living” is non-governmental organization, working in disability sector since 2009., uniting members with long term experience in advocacy work, participation in policy planning processes, social service provision and project implementation experience.

Our members: organizations and individuals

Our members are...

Persons with disability

Family members of persons with disabilities

Service providers

Professionals of social work and other fields, academic staff

Representatives of civic society

Our vision

Our vision is inclusive society, where every person with disability has the same opportunity of living independent life as all other members of society, where every person can get the support he or she needs, and where disability is not the reason to segregate the person from the society.

Main activities

Advocacy for the

rights of persons

with disabilities

Awareness raising of society about equal

opportunities of persons with disabilities

Empowerment of people with disabilities and their

families

Development of high

quality communit

y based services

for persons

with disabilitiesFocuss of

activities

Social services and quality of life of service receivers – beginning with the end in mind

• Identifying what personal outcomes should be desired

Input Throughput Outcome

Resources, time knowledge,

assessed support needs

Process to ensure support system

Personal outcomes / quality of life

Quality of life concept• As a field of social indicators science and empirical quality of

life research was born in mid-1960s.

• In the very beginning quality of life was assessed by material wealth.

• Today material well-being is just one of the quality of life domains.

• Since 1980s quality of life concept is closely liked with disability issues.

Higher GDP Higher quality of life

Quality of life framework: factors and domains (pr.R.Schalock, 2002)

Independence

Social participation

Well-being

• Self-Determination• Personal Development

• Interpersonal Relationships• Social Inclusion• Rights

• Physical Well-Being• Emotional Well-Being• Material Well-Being

Quality of life framework (Schalock, 2002)

Factor Domain Exemplary Indicators

Independence

1. Personal Development

Education (achievements, education status)Personal competence (cognitive, social, practical)Performance (success, achievement, productivity)

2. Self-Determination Autonomy/personal controlGoals and personal values (desires, expectations)Choices (opportunities, options, preferences)

Quality of life framework (Schalock, 2002)

Factor Domain Exemplary Indicators

Social Participation

3. Interpersonal Relationships

Interactions (social networks, social contacts)Relationships (family, friends, peers)Supports (emotional, physical, financial)Recreation

4. Social Inclusion Community integration and participationCommunity roles (contributor, volunteer)Social supports (support networks, services)

5. Rights Human (respect, dignity, equality)Legal (citizenship, access, due process)

Quality of life framework (Schalock, 2002)

Factor Domain Exemplary Indicators

Well-Being

6. Emotional Well-Being

Contentment (satisfaction, moods, enjoyment)Self-concept (identity, self-worth, self-esteem)Lack of stress (predictability and control)

7. Physical Well-Being Health (functioning, symptoms, fitness, nutrition)Activities of daily living (self-care, mobility)Physical activities including recreation

8. Material Well-Being

Financial Status (income, benefits)Employment (work status, work environment)Housing (type of residence, ownership)

Quality of life concept

Theoretical concept

Practically used concept

Development of quality of life concept:

Quality of life assessment – example of practical use of the concept

• Elaborated by LATMIL, based on the theoretical research.• In the elaboration process active involvement of persons with

disabilities and their family members. • Based on 8 domain model(R. Schalock (2002)), indicators and

measurement adapted to local situation.• Measurement uses both objective and subjective (perceptual)

measurement.• Used to perform assessment both in long term care institutions and

community based social services. • In most cases, domain scores and descriptions are more useful and

expressive than the total scores that are aggregated from separate domain data.

Quality of life concept and social services for persons with functional limitations

Quality of life assessment – tool giving opportunities: • to identify the weak and strong side of the services;• to plan necessary improvements and development; • to improve the understanding of staff on the

content of service; • to involve the receivers of service in the service

planning, implementation and monitoring process; • to evaluate how effective are used resources.

Social services – one of effective ways to ensure support for persons with disabilities

• Community based services;• Based on Individual support needs assessment;• Is there place for personal desires and personal

goals?• How individualized and personal are social

services?• What is the role of individual – just service

receiver or ...?

Consultation service– example of evidence based service development

• The need for the service was assessed during the analysis of quality of life assessment results.

• Luck of support was identified to ensure the independence of persons with functional limitations.

• Developed consultation service for people with functional limitations and their families to promote the independence.

Consultation service– example of evidence based service development

• Consultation provided in the environment where daily activities take place, mostly in home environment;

• Practical advices how to adapt home environment to promote independence,

• how to use use low tech assistive technologies to keep or promote independence of person with functional limitations;

• Individual action plan elaborated together with staff; • Mostly low-tech solutions for the moment.

Thank You for attention!