Day 2 Synopsis

Keynote

Streams

“Beyond housework and community outings:  engagement in relationships as the next challenge for Active Support”

Meaningful engagement in every day activity is widely accepted as a contemporary quality outcome in disability services.  Where people are engaged in activity they develop skills, their behaviours are observed to be more socially acceptable, and their physical and mental health are better than they might otherwise be.  Active Support provides an evidence-based framework to promote such meaningful and efficacious engagement.  However, Active Support programmes all too often focus primarily on functional activity and things that make for a ‘busy life’, though not necessarily a ‘fulfilled life’.  Opportunities to form and nurture personal relationships, friendships and intimate partnerships are all too often absent from the Activity & Support Plans, or Opportunity Plans.  Reflecting on the lived experience of adults with intellectual disability and what the technology of Active Support has to offer, this paper will explore options for Active Support beyond the basics and examine how we might use Active Support to enrich people’s social and emotional lives.

Associate Professor Keith McVilly

Associate Professor Keith McVilly is a Principal Research Fellow in the School of Psychology at Deakin University, Melbourne.    Keith has worked as a direct support worker, clinical psychologist, service manager, and as a researcher.  He has worked in Australia, the UK, and the USA with people with developmental, acquired and degenerative disability, together with family members and support staff.  He is the Australasian representative to the Board of the International Association for the Scientific Study of Intellectual Disability (IASSID).  Keith observed the development of Active Support in the United Kingdom during the early 1990s and was part of the team at the University of Sydney which piloted Active Support in 2002.   He has since been involved with Active Support developments across Australia and in Minnesota, USA, and was part of the team which implemented Active Support for DHS in Victoria in 2006.  He is a co-author of the Active Support Organisational Readiness Guide. 

People Leading Lives they Prefer through Supported Decision Making:  “Listening to those rarely heard”

A Supported Decision Making approach helps people with intellectual disabilities make decisions about their own lives.  This approach assumes that everyone can make decisions with support.  It draws from the idea that everyone has preferences, and these preferences can be built up into decisions with support from those who care for and about them, people just like you.  This approach to decision making is in line with what we know about how all human beings make decisions.  That is, with support from those in our life we trust.

This paper will outline the supported decision making framework developed and share with you ways to successfully implement it.

Jo Watson

Jo Watson is a Speech Pathologist, who has been supporting people with disabilities for over 20 years.  She currently works for Scope as a Research Fellow and is enrolled in a PhD with Deakin University focusing on supported decision making for people who communicate informally.

The H.O.P. Hanging Out Program. Interaction for Adults at Risk of Isolation

Sometimes adults with profound intellectual and multiple disabilities end up outside or on the edge of conversations and interactions. Their unique needs in interactions mean that sometimes they miss out on the company that they need. HOP is a simple approach for making sure people don’t miss out.

Sheridan Forster

Sheridan has many years experience as a speech pathologist working with people with profound intellectual and multiple disabilities.  She is a researcher and consultant to government and not for profit agencies in Victoria. She has recently (hopefully!) completed her PhD looking at the use of affect attunement by disability support workers. Sheridan is passionately committed to improving the quality of life and communication opportunities for people with profound intellectual and multiple disabilities.

Participation to The Max

Participation to The Max (PTM) is a collection of information about a person's interests, communication and support strategies that will ensure they have maximum opportunity for participation and interaction within all their daily activities. PTM was developed by Erinn Miller (Milparinka) and Mandy Williams (OT, Communication Resource Centre – Scope)

This presentation will explain the reason behind the development of the PTM, and the process of how to use  it in a way that supports people to have maximum participation.

Erinn Miller

Erinn has worked in disability service provision for 12 years in varying roles- early intervention, day service, community residential service and special education. She has a Diploma in Developmental Services - Disability and a Graduate Diploma of Social Science - Human Services Counselling. Erinn is Manager of Communication & Participation with Milparinka Disability Services.

Communicating: The right way, everywhere, all the time - and its up to us!

When all staff in a day service or residential service communicate with people in the right way, everywhere and all of the time, it makes a difference to their quality of life. In Southern Loddon Mallee we have a team of 12 Communication Coordinators in 9 day services and 70 Communication Facilitators across 24 residential units. We will share with you, how we are making a difference.

Barbara Solarsh

Barbara is a speech pathologist at the Southern Loddon Mallee Regional Communication Service. She has developed and manages the Integrated Communication Strategy in the region. She believes that the key to building cultures of communication in day services and group homes is having support   staff who are trained in communication, and value communication for all clients.

Communication Coordinators & Facilitators

Integrated Communication Strategy, Southern Loddon Mallee.

Armchair Travel

You can visit anywhere in the world without actually going there. The traveller experiences far away places from the comfort of their home or day support service. Sharing the sensory experiences of travel and other cultures provides the traveler with lots of opportunities to express preferences, take turns, experience cause and effect, have fun and learn. This session will introduce key strategies for planning and running successful armchair travel experiences for people with profound intellectual and multiple disabilities. 

Anastasia Pangidis

Anastasia Pangidis is a Program Practice Leader with Milparinka Disability Services.   She completed a Degree in Disability and has since worked in the disability sector for over ten years. Her work experience includes providing respite, day service and community based support for people with profound intellectual and multiple disabilities. 

Mandy Williams

Mandy Williams has worked for over 35 years in the disability sector. She has a particular interest in sensory processing disorders and participation in everyday activities for people with profound intellectual and multiple disabilities. She has presented nationally and internationally on these topics. She is co-editor of the lECAPSS newsletter, has written a number of articles and the book “Activities for Everyone: Art and Craft”. Mandy is an Accredited Occupational Therapist and a member of the Communication Resource Centre team – a service of Scope (Vic) Ltd.

Sensory Gardens. Is there such a thing?

Many people with profound intellectual and multiple disabilities (PIMD) enjoy specific sensory elements inherent in everyday activities, the environment in which these activities are conducted and through the types of support provided by others to participate in these activities. With this in mind many so called “Sensory Gardens” have been developed but no change in participation or enjoyment for the people it is designed for have been noted.  Many become derelict rather than being really engaging spaces. What are some of the reasons for this?

This presentation will consider Inclusive Design principles and ways of engaging the users in the design process to ensure the garden space increases participation opportunities for the people it is designed for. 

Mandy Williams

Mandy has worked for over 35 years in the disability sector. She has a particular interest in sensory processing disorders and participation in everyday activities for people with profound intellectual and multiple disabilities. She has presented nationally and internationally on these topics. She co-edits  the ECAPSS newsletter with Susan Fowler and  has written a number of articles and the book “Activities for Everyone: Art and Craft”. Mandy is an Accredited Occupational Therapist and a member of the Communication Resource Centre team – a service of Scope (Vic) Ltd.

Best practice. Communication for people with complex needs in residential settings

This paper will focus on ways to assess, support and enhance the participation of people with complex communication needs in engaging with the people around them. We will discuss the vital role that carers play in gathering information and understanding the person, including the use of the CCC (Checklist of Communicative Competencies) as well as interpreting this information. We will conclude the session by presenting a range of tools such as Personal Communication Dictionaries, Remnant Books, Object Symbols and Activity packs that can be utilised to meet the needs of these people so that their communication and participation in society is optimised.

Victoria Zainal

Victoria has worked as a Speech Pathologist for nearly 20 years with people with disabilities. Work in early intervention programs included several years in Specialist Children’s Services and Yooralla. She has worked as a school based speech pathologist with the Department of Education as well as many years in Special Developmental Schools. The past three years have seen her working alongside Behaviour Intervention Support practitioners as the Advanced Practitioner – Speech Pathologist with Specialist Services in the Eastern Metropolitan Region of the Department of Human Services. Her current role is Team Leader of Speech Pathology which entails, amongst other things, continued clinical work as well as provision of training to staff in supporting people with complex communication, swallowing issues and Key Word Signing skills. Victoria has a strong interest in the link between communication issues and Human Rights.

Elizabeth Weston

Elizabeth has experience working with adults with complex communication needs and behaviours of concern. She is currently working as a speech pathologist with the Specialist Services team in the Eastern Metropolitan Region of the Department of Human Services. Prior to that, she worked within the education system. Liz also has experience as an integration aide and brings this practical ‘hands on’ knowledge to her work with adults with complex communication needs.

Controlled Multi Sensory Environments

We are surrounded by Multi Sensory Environments but over the years, specific rooms have been set aside to stimulate the senses.  These are known as Multisensory Environments (MSE’s), Snozelen rooms, Sensory Rooms and Sensory Studios.

This presentation will look briefly at the history of MSE’s, different types of MSE and points to consider if you want to set up a dedicated MSE.  The main focus of the presentation will be about how to use your MSE’s with a particular emphasis on sensory-focused  stories.

Susan Fowler

Susan is an Occupational Therapist who has been working in the disability field since 1990.  Her main areas of interest are working with people with profound and multiple disabilities, autism and behaviours of concern.  Susan has written 2 books Sensory Stimulation and Controlled Multisensory Environments.  She co-edits the ECAPSS newsletter (Enhancing Communication and Participation through Sensory Stimulation) with Mandy Williams. 

“It’s my RIGHT to know “What’s happening throughout my working day”

This presentation will discuss how to support people with complex communication needs.

From the moment people arrive at their place of work, (e.g. day services and are off the bus) we have a responsibility to implement communication steps / supports required  to ensure people know what to expect throughout their day…..and at each interval in their day - for people who interact in the ‘here and now’.

Hopefully, the ideas and suggestions you hear at this presentation will motivate and inspire you and help you with the direction you need in supporting people to have a great day by providing quality services, the people we support pay for.

The session will cover:

  • Using people’s senses…..
  • Using communication tools and aids that have meaning….
  • Being consistent…..
  • Being persistent…..
  • How do I ‘juggle’ supporting a group when it’s just me!
  • One small step at a time……
  • Celebrating …… people’s accomplishments….

Sarina Bunnett

Sarina is passionate and motivated about helping people with complex communication needs to be understood, to have and make choices and decisions which effect their lives. This has been her work focus for the past 16 years. She received a Disability Support Workers Award for her work in supporting communication for people with complex communication needs and educating people and the communities in which they live. Sarina Bunnett is currently the Communication Coordinator for Melba Support Services.

Sensory Overload!

Heard of speed dating? This fast paced presentation will showcase numerous resources and useful ideas over a 30 minute period.

Mandy Williams

Mandy has worked for over 35 years in the disability sector. She has a particular interest in sensory processing disorders and participation in everyday activities for people with profound intellectual and multiple disabilities and has presented nationally and internationally on these topics. She  co-edits  the ECAPSS newsletter with Susan Fowler and  has written a number of articles and the book “Activities for Everyone: Art and Craft”. Mandy is an Accredited Occupational Therapist and a member of the Communication Resource Centre team – a service of Scope (Vic) Ltd. 

Susan Fowler

Susan is an Occupational Therapist who has been working in the disability field since 1990.  Her main areas of interest are working with people with profound and multiple disabilities, autism and behaviours of concern.  Susan has written 2 books Sensory Stimulation and Controlled Multisensory Environments.  She co-edits the ECAPSS newsletter (Enhancing Communication and Participation through Sensory Stimulation) with Mandy Williams. 

 
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