Hopkins Hour: Championing self-advocacy and dignity for improved outcomes in healthcare and beyond.

Posted on Wednesday 13th December 2023

Self-advocacy entails knowing yourself, understanding your rights, and the ability to express your rights in everyday situations. Following an acquired brain injury or spinal cord injury, it can be difficult for people to have a say in their care and rehabilitation. This is due to the potential physical, cognitive, emotional, and social impacts of an injury, combined with navigating unfamiliar and complex healthcare contexts.

At this engaging Hopkins Hour, Hopkins researchers Professor Tamara Ownsworth and Dr Jessie Mitchell were joined by Dignity Project lead Dr Kelsey Chapman and Ross Duncan from Spinal Life Australia, along with other special guests.

Presentations looked at how dignified and responsive interactions, services, and systems are essential to support people to reclaim agency and feel empowered to influence and direct their care. Presenters discussed how this can provide a bridge to becoming a successful advocate in other key life domains, including community access, education, employment, and social and leisure activities. In this way, championing self-advocacy is integral to positive health and life outcomes.

The hour ended in a dynamic panel discussion with special guests:

Belinda Adams OAM who contributed a lived-experience perspective to the discussion
Annerley Bates from Brain Injury Rehabilitation Service, Princess Alexandra Hospital, and
Clare Morgan from Acquired Brain Injury Outreach Service

Click here to watch the recording of this event.

Event presentations:

View presentation by Jessie Mitchell and Annerley Bates: Reclaiming agency in care decisions: Enablers experienced from families & individuals with an ABI, on The Hopkins Centre's Self-Advocacy Project.