standing at the crossroads adult protection and advocacy conference august 1, 2013 shirley paceley
TRANSCRIPT
Standing at the Crossroads
Adult Protection and Advocacy ConferenceAugust 1, 2013Shirley Paceley
Lessons From Our Greatest Teachers
In the beginning…rampant abuse and neglect
Forty Years Later…
Three women share their stories of violence.
How far have we really come?
Consulting the Experts
Anna teaches us about freedom and equality
“It’s All of Us”
Differences in ability is ordinary, not special, and something most of us will experience at sometime.
The moment we judge, there can be
no understanding. I think “Alzheimer’s Disease” and certain thoughts come into my mind which limit my understanding of
that one person.
Beware of the Labels
I am not my label
• Label cans not people
Stolen Identities
• Labels have power and can steal a person of their identity.
• A diagnosis is not the most important or most interesting characteristic about a person.
• ‘Normal’ is a setting on a dryer.• Listen to the words you use….they
reflect your attitude.
Signs of Inequality
• Separate restrooms• Separate standards/rules• Withholding of information• Power over…• Behavior programs• “Non-compliant” and “Inappropriate"• Mass Dreamicide
What Do You See When You Look At Me?
• ‘Inappropriate’ behavior?• Someone to pity?• Someone with dreams, talents,
contributions?• Someone who has been hurt?• Someone who has equal value?• Someone who deserves freedom?
Consulting the Experts
Lynn teaches us the value of common sense.
“I am so sorry.”
Consulting the Experts
Mary teaches us the value of seeing the whole person.
“I thought I wasn't good enough and was being punished.”
Consulting the experts
• A 20 minute lesson that changed my life
• One of my greatest teachers
• In 2011, the microphone phone call
FINISHED FILES ARE THE RESULT OFYEARS OF SCIENTIFIC STUDY
COMBINED WITH THE EXPERIENCE OF MANY YEARS.
FINISHED FILES ARE THE RESULT OFYEARS OF SCIENTIFIC STUDY
COMBINED WITH THE EXPERIENCE OF MANY YEARS.
Honoring the Victims
When our attitudes are evident in our findings…
Unsubstantiated or Unfounded?
What People with Disabilities Taught Us About
Mandated ReportingBest practices:•Tell me if you are a mandated reported•Offer me the chance to report with you•Train mandated reporters how to support me•Keep me informed
Where Are We Now?
We must be honest with ourselves to see the gaps in our systems.
Listening To Our Words Helps
Us To Identify Gaps• It’s not my job.• We don’t do that here.• We don’t know what’s going on.• We don’t have the power (resources,
authority, etc.) to do that.• But we’ve always done it that way.
Deep Question
Who or what do we blame?
When we blame someone or something for a situation, we give up the power
to make a change.
Deep Question
• Are we screening people out or screening people in?
• Who is helping the people we screen out?
Engaging Older Adults and People with Disabilities
in Our Work• Nothing about me without me.• It is imperative that the people who
work within the system hear from people who use the system.
• We need people to ask, “Does it have to be that way?”
• Engagement means taking certain actions, not just having the right attitude.
Engaging Older Adults and People with Disabilities
in Our Work• Focus groups• Seniors and Law Enforcement
Together (SALT) teams • Sexual Assault Collaborative Teams• Trauma-Informed Accessibility
Assessments• Disability Accessibility Assessments
To include me is to empower me, to exclude me is to devour me.
excerpt from a poem by Cathy Lynn Saunders
People are People are People
“I would talk to someone who saw me as strong, not as weak.”
“I would want to talk to someone who focused on my trauma, not my disability.”
Listen with our
Listen with our
Listen with our
How Do We Listen?
Ordinary or Outstanding?
• Don’t settle for average.• Ordinary work is not what people with
disabilities and older adults need. They need us to be extraordinary.
• Do not leave yourself out of your work.• Is this person better off because of the
work I did today?
What Direction Do We Want To
Go?
Standing at the Crossroads
• What steps can we take to engage older adults and people with disabilities in our work together?
• What gaps need to be filled?• What policies need changing?• What partnerships need to be
formed?• How will we stay committed?• Watch out for distractions
along the way.
Making the Commitment
If not you, who? If not now, when?
“Please don't forget about us. Please.”
Blue Skies
• Poem by Denise Bissonnette
Long-Term Care Ombudsmen (and women)
and Adult Protective Services, you give us
HOPE.
What we all want
Growing the Community
When we bring different passions, abilities, experiences, and attitudes together with one main focus, the possibilities to change the status quo are endless.
Standing at the Crossroads
What will you choose?
Blue Tower Training (BTT) is a division of Macon
Resources, Inc. (MRI) which provides training, consultation, training materials and
resources on a national as well as international basis.
Shirley Paceley217-875-8890
Learn more about BTT by logging on to www.bluetowertraining.com