Making Good Decisions with Your Support Network
SUPPORTED DECISION MAKING
This guide helps you stay in charge of your own life by getting help to make choices. It is your right to make decisions with the help of people you trust, like family, friends, or carers. You are always at the centre of every choice.
What is Supported Decision-Making?
You stay in charge. You get help, but you make the final choice. It is not about someone else deciding for you.
Your supporters help you understand. They help you learn about your options and tell people what you have decided.
You can choose your supporters. They can be family, friends, or workers you trust. You can have more than one.
Supporters must listen to you. They must be honest and follow your wishes and what is important to you.
Planning Ahead for Health Changes
Supported decision-making is very helpful if your health changes, for example, with early memory loss or dementia. It allows you to set up a support team while you can still clearly express your wishes.
This means you can teach your team how you like to make decisions. Even if your memory changes, you can still be involved in choices about your life for as long as possible, with the help of people who understand what you want.
How to Make Good Choices with Your Team
1. Use Your Values, Wishes and Preferences to Guide You
The most important thing is that your choices feel right for you. When you look at an option, ask yourself:
Does this choice match what I believe in? (Your Values)
Will this help me get what I hope for? (Your Wishes)
Does this let me keep doing the little things I enjoy? (Your Preferences)
2. Get Information You Can Understand
You have the right to understand all your options. It is okay to ask for help with this.
Ask people to speak simply. You can say things like:
"Please explain that in simple words."
"Can you write that down for me?"
Take your time to think. You do not have to rush. You can say:
"I need some time to think about this."
"Can we talk about this again next week?"
3. Make the Choice
Look at your options. It is often easier to choose if you only look at two or three options at a time.
Trust your feelings. What feels like the right choice for you?
Explain your choice. It helps to tell others why you chose something. For example, "I chose this because it means I can still see my grandkids every week."
Putting Your Choices into Action
A choice only helps when you act on it.
Make a Plan: Break the task into small steps. Decide who does what and by when.
Get Help with Details: Your supporter can make phone calls or help with forms. You should always be the one to give the final "yes" or "no" and sign important papers.
Check That It's Done Right: Ask for updates to see how the plan is going. It is okay to make changes if it is not working.
What Happens if Your Supporters Disagree Later?
Even with a clear plan, your supporters might one day disagree on a decision if you are no longer able to decide for yourself. Here is how they should work through it.
Their goal must be to make a joint decision based on what is in your best interest. They should ask these questions:
What would I have wanted? They should look at your written plans and think about the conversations you had. Your wishes are the most important guide.
What is the least restrictive choice? They should choose the option that gives you the most freedom and independence in your life.
Is this choice necessary? They need to think about if the decision is truly needed for your health or to keep your money safe.
If your supporters have talked about these questions and still cannot agree, they should seek professional advice from a doctor, a lawyer, or a support service like an advocate to help them make the best choice for you.
Putting Your Plan into Action with These Tools
Now that you understand supported decision-making, you can use the following templates to get started. They are designed to work together to help you build and share your plan.
Start the Conversation: Use this guide to help you talk to your potential supporters. It has prompts to make sure you cover the important points about how you want to be supported.
DOWNLOAD TEMPLATE: SUPPORTED DECISION-MAKING DISCUSSION GUIDE
Create Your Plan: Once you have spoken to your supporters, use this template to write down who they are, what they will help you with, and how you will all stay in touch. This makes the plan official and clear for everyone.
DOWNLOAD TEMPLATE: SUPPORTED DECISION-MAKING COMMUNICATION PLAN
Share Your Plan: Use this simple letter to inform other important people in your life (like other family members or your doctor) about your supported decision-making plan and who is on your team.
DOWNLOAD TEMPLATE: LETTER/EMAIL TO SHARE YOUR SUPPORTED DECISION-MAKING PLAN
Disclaimer: This guide provides general information only and is not a substitute for professional advice. The information is provided "as is," without any guarantee of its accuracy or completeness.
Any action you take based on the contents of this guide is at your own risk. We are not liable for any loss or damage resulting from its use. Please consult a qualified professional to address your individual circumstances.