Question

READ THE CASE STUDY (this is for an aged care certificate)

Fred and Lillian are adults with developmental disabilities. They are married and live in a public housing unit. They wanted to have children, but Lillian discovered that she had been sterilised when she was 11 years of age. She remembers the operation but thought it was to remove her appendix, not her uterus and ovaries. They have two rabbits, Daisy and Ducky. The housing authority rules do not allow pets, but Fred and Lillian love their rabbits and are willing to take the risk. Their friend George lives with them. He also has a developmental disability, but he has more skills than Fred and Lillian; he can read and write, and he is good with money. George is tall and broad and quite strong. Lillian is afraid of him but Fred sees him as a role model and wants to be like him. Lately George has started blackmailing Lillian and Fred, threatening to report their rabbits to the housing authority if they do not give him half of their money each fortnight. He has told them that the housing authority will kill the rabbits and evict Fred and Lillian. Now George wants Fred to buy a car; Fred does not drive or have a licence, but George says he can drive the car to take Lillian shopping. Fred has been to a somewhat unethical used car dealer who has signed him up on a hire purchase agreement to buy an old car. Fred does not understand the contract but has signed it. The hire purchase company is now threatening to repossess the car as Fred cannot keep up the repayments. They tell him that after the car has been repossessed he must continue to pay the instalments until the debt is cleared or they will take him to court. George has told Lillian that he will hide the rabbits for her when the housing authorities come to inspect, if she agrees to have sex with him. Fred and Lillian have approached a disability advocacy support program for assistance.

QUESTIONS

1.) Identify three strategies to assist Fred and Lillian to identify their needs and rights in this situation.
2.) Explain duty of care and identify the facts in the scenario that indicate risks and are relevant to a worker’s duty of care towards Fred and Lillian.
3.) Identify the duty of care issues in this case study and explain how they also raise questions about ethical considerations​​​​​​​
4.) Which of Fred and Lillian’s rights are possibly being infringed?​​​​​​​

Answer 1

1) Every individual has been bestowed with certain rights that must be excercised ib order to initiate the functioning and development of the individual as a whole.

These involves rights for security and freedom, right to initiative their needs, rights for social justice, right to develop in an environment free from exploitation, right to exercise rights irrespective of age, mental disability etc

Self awareness- Fred and Lillian must very able to identify their rights and should be aware about their rights of freedom, they must be fully empowered to exercise these right which include right to equality, right to freedom right to develop in an harmonious environment, right to fair trial.

They must be aware about their rights and exercise it effectively.

2) self assurance and empowerment-

Both fred and lillian must be aware about their rights to speak to and report in case of exploitation. They must be empowered with a sense of acceptance and self assurance.

3) self evaluation- Fred and lillian must be able to carry out self evaluation to identify ones rights and needs and to develop a sense of self acceptance and dignity.

II Duty of care is the responsibility Assigned to an individual or organization to prevent any action that could cause harm to others.

The risk in the above case study involves, breech of privacy, constant threatning, sexual and financial harrasment and blackmailling.

The duty of care involves understanding and respecting the rights of others, providing care in dignity way, enabling the individual to develop a sense of self respect and moral. Preventing the breech of privacy.

4) the main duty of care issues involve threatning be George, sexual and financial harassment, sense of damage to self respect, harming ones rights and promoting a sense of fear and cause grieve to ones mental health.

5) the right to privacy

Right to digity

Right to develop in a healthy manner.

Right to freedom and refrain from torture.

Right of opinion.