Making decisions and choices as you move through life, with support when you need it.
Supported decision making is about helping people, regardless of age or ability, make their own decisions by using a variety of integrated supports, including other people they trust, technology, community supports, or paid supports. The supports might help a person understand issues/choices, ask questions, receive explanations in a way that works for them, communicate their own decisions to others, or build their own decision-making skills. Just because someone has a certain disability or diagnosis, or is experiencing memory or other challenges related to aging or dementia, doesn’t mean they cannot express preferences or make choices and decisions, with help as needed. It’s really what we all do without even thinking about it! We ask for advice or input from family, friends, professionals, or others we trust in making all kinds of decisions in our lives.
The materials in the section are designed to help a person, family, or a professional explore areas where any person might need decision making support, plan for what it looks like and how it can happen, and seek out the needed supports.
Explore areas where any person might need decision making support, plan for what it looks like and how it can happen, and find the needed supports.
Use this Star to consider a variety of supports for helping with understanding options, communicating decisions, or following through with choices and decisions.
Explore the areas of life where people make choices and decisions, and decide when and how much support might be needed for making and communicating decisions.
Completing the star will help you think about your own life and the supports and resources you have available in each of the star categories that could help make respite possible or a better experience for you and your loved one.
Portfolio for Supported Decision-Making
The Supported Decision Making portfolio will help with identifying personal priorities and the supports needed for understanding options, communicating choices, and following through with decisions. It can be completed by the person in need of support, or with help from family, friends or professionals. Designed as a tabloid-sized (17 inches wide by 11 inches high) booklet, it includes the:
You can use this informational star to think about different kinds of supports to help with making choices and decisions, and supports for communicating decisions to others.
Explore different options for supporting someone to make decisions and choices, organized using the Charting the LifeCourse Integrated Supports Star. Strategies for money management, personal safety, and general decision making supports are listed and explained.
Anyone can use supported decision-making practices anytime without a formal, written agreement. Sometimes, however, people want to have an agreement in writing, stating what kind of decision -making support they might need, and who they want to support them in making or communicating decisions. These templates are “sample” forms that can be used to make a more formal SDM agreement. One contains check boxes that can be used to specify types of support needed, and the other is more open-ended. They can be used “as is” or can be customized to meet specific decision-making support needs. These documents are not to be considered as legal advice, but are offered as examples to help you get started. You do not have to use an attorney to make an SDM agreement, but if you need legal help or advice, then you should consult an attorney.
Click here for additional agreement examples from supporteddecisionmaking.com.