People living with a disability
According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, 17.9 per cent of Queenslanders, or just under one in every five people, have a disability. Over 150,000 Queenslanders have a severe disability and require help or assistance with self-care, mobility or communication needs.
People with a disability are more likely to face widespread barriers in accessing health and related services, and have worse health outcomes than people without disabilities. These disparities can be exacerbated at the end of life.
Queensland Health is committed to ensuring care at the end of life is available to all people living with disability who require care at the end of life, their carers and family members. Our aim is to ensure people with a disability who are at the end of life:
- are treated with care, respect, dignity and confidentiality
- have access to healthcare and palliative care services, if required
- have their treatment and condition explained to them in a way they can understand
- are treated and cared for in the same way as everyone else
- have their individual medical, social, emotional, cultural and spiritual needs supported
- are given the opportunity to participate in advance care planning
- receive care from people they know and trust.
Find out more about specialist disability services.
Planning ahead
People with disabilities should not be presumed to lack capacity for making health care decisions. All individuals have legal rights when it comes to making end of life decisions.
The majority of people with a disability are able to make and act on their own decisions. However, there are situations, particularly where people have a cognitive disability, complex support needs and/or communication difficulties, where people may need some assistance.
Although their ability to make decisions may be constrained by their capacity, people with limited capacity should be encouraged to participate in advance care planning to the extent their abilities allow. People with disabilities may have specific requirements that should be taken into consideration.
Adults with disabilities may not have appointed a substitute decision-maker, however a guardian may have been appointed by the Queensland Civil and Administration Tribunal. If the situation arises where consent is required to make healthcare decisions for a disabled person, a statutory health attorney(s) will be recognised. If there is no available statutory health attorney, a dispute, or legal authority is needed for financial reasons, an attorney or guardian would be formally appointed.
Talk to your healthcare team for more information about advance care planning for people with disabilities.
Find more information about:
- legal information and rights of people with a disability
- Department of Social Services information and resources for future planning for people with a disability
- Planning for the Future: People with Disability Booklet—available in English and multiple other languages.
Communication support
If you have a hearing or speech impairment, ask your palliative care provider about getting extra help or translating services or consider the following services.
National Relay Service
The National Relay Service (NRS) is available to help callers with a hearing or speech impairment:
TTY users, call 133 677, then ask for (03) 9662 9644
Speak and Listen users, call 1300 555 727 then ask for (03) 9662 9644
Internet relay users, connect to the National Relay Service [http://relayservice.gov.au/], then ask for (03) 9662 9644.
There is an interpreting service for callers who speak other languages. Call (03) 9662 9644 and ask for the language you need.
Communication tools
Advice and practical tools for communicating with people with disability.