Principles for Person-directed Services and Supports during Serious Illness

By Edwin L. Walker, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Aging, and Bob Williams, Director, Independent Living Administration, Administration for Community Living

At ACL we believe that every person has the right to make choices and to control their own decisions. This right is independent of age or disability or stage of illness. To help ensure that people who have serious illnesses are able to control their care and services, ACL, in consultation with its stakeholders, developed Principles for Person-directed Services and Supports during Serious Illness. ACL will be using these principles to inform policy discussions and enhance its existing programs and services related to serious illness among older adults and individuals with disabilities.

To develop these principles, ACL engaged in several activities: development of educational materials and resources, review of relevant literature, discussions with aging and disability stakeholders, and stakeholder review of draft principles.