Qualities of life design measures with chronic illness or disability.

Abstract

Rehabilitation assessment data influence decisions for the design of preferred lifestyles with a chronic illness or disability (CID). As a result, careful consideration of the source, type and scope of these data is needed in selecting appropriate procedures for their collection and use. This article proposes three essential qualities of data to assess in life design counselling with CID. A narrative analytical review approach is applied to synthesize findings from the research on person-oriented approaches to rehabilitation assessments. In addition, illustrative life design data on preferred community living solutions with CID for rehabilitation clients (n = 68) are presented. The concept of life design foregrounds the narrative analytical review on essential qualities of rehabilitation assessments to support life choices with disability. The evidence from a narrative synthesis of the person-oriented assessment literature and community living study suggests that effective life design with CID is enhanced with person-centric, resource enabling and participation focused data. Data that prioritizes personal values for participation enable persons with a disability jurisdiction in their life design choices. Life design is a robust concept to understand the purposes for which rehabilitation assessment data are gathered, and the essential qualities for those data. When life design measures have person-centric qualities, people with CID are empowered to construct their own lives.