Introduction

You may have heard the term recovery used in a couple of different ways. For example, people who break a hip and go to rehab do so 'to recover.' People who participate in Alcoholics Anonymous say they are 'in recovery.' People living with serious mental illness see being 'in recovery' as learning to live with a mental illness and use wellness recovery action plans known as WRAPs to help them. In this lesson, we apply the concept of recovery to people living with chronic illness, dementia or a disability. Recognizing strengths is key to recovery.

It's time to get bored.

1. Set a timer for three minutes.
2. Then sit still and do absolutely nothing. Be quiet.
3. At the end of the three minutes, think about your experience. How did you feel: Agitated? Bored? Frustrated? Calm? How about your behavior? Did you fidget? Keep checking the timer? Start humming?
4. Imagine what boredom might be like for a person with little to do--especially if that person has dementia.
5. How might you use this awareness to understand their behaviors and to improve their quality of life?

Recovery and Cure

Some individuals with schizophrenia will recover from the illness; that is, they have one episode of psychosis and no others.

Others will not recover from their disease. They will likely have more episodes. Here, recovery does not mean a cure. Instead, we use recovery to mean that you help a person recover the confidence and skills needed to live a more independent life in the community. People in recovery say: recovery is about attitude. It's a way of living to make the most out of life, regardless of the hand you've been dealt.

What if a Person is Making 'Poor' Choices?

How 'poor' a choice seems is, in part, a matter of perspective. How many times have you made a choice that didn't turn out well? Maybe related to a job or a relationship that others told you was a bad idea. You did it anyway! Why? Adults—young and old—want to be in charge of their own destinies. Remember: There is dignity in risk and lessons to be learned from failures. Still, it's not always easy to figure out how to best support someone’s choice when the choice poses a safety risk or is self-defeating. What to do? Use common sense, obey the law (competent individuals have the right to make decisions), do your best to understand the choice and help the person be fully informed about their options and the likely outcomes of one choice over another.

Avoid extreme positions from no control (“I let people who get services do whatever they want.") to over-control ("Only I know what is best for the people in my care").

Persons whose choices are honored have better health outcomes. This is true whether we’re working with someone with a short-term condition like a broken hip, or long-term conditions like dementia, mental illness, or brain injury.

When a question about choice comes up, discuss options with the care recipient, co-worker or supervisor. The best course of action has to be on an individualized basis and documented.

Share your willingness to be clear, honest, and informative about choices. Learn from each individual what they feel, think, and want. Use this information in a manner most helpful to that person. Share your conviction that we can help each person make the most out of their life.

The recovery movement offers a perspective that helps focus on quality of living. Combined with a person-directed approach, caregivers can help create a more personalized service, support, and care plan. One component is strength-based planning. You'll take a look at that in the next lesson.