Choice

Offering choices enhances autonomy and respects individual preferences, upholding the dignity and respect of all people.

Essential Elements

Offer choice in all things wherever possible
Allow the person enough time make a choice
Respect the persons choice

Choice Boards

Use visual choice boards with pictures or objects to help people make decisions about daily activities, meals or clothing. This can be as simple as offering a choice of two things and writing down the options. Allow time for the person to make a choice, then respect the person’s choice.

Menu of Activities

Present a menu of activities each day, using simple language and images, allowing people to choose based on their interests and energy levels.

Activity Stations

Have activity stations with a variety of sensory items (textures, scents, sounds) or other activities that people can choose from to engage in self-directed activities or sensory experiences.

Interactive Displays

Use interactive displays, like tactile boards, interactive wall spaces or memory boxes, that people can choose to explore at their own pace.

Routine Customisation

Allow customisation of routines according to personal rhythms, such as choosing when to wake up, eat or rest.

Adapted Materials

Provide choices in adapted materials for tasks, such as different sizes or textures of items, to accommodate varying abilities and preferences.

Life Story Boxes

Use personalised life story boxes containing meaningful objects from a person's past that people can choose to interact with during reminiscence sessions. Meaningful objects stimulate storytelling.

“A human being is a deciding being.”
(Viktor E. Frankl)

“The strongest principle of growth
lies in the human choice.”
(George Eliot)