Independent Living Institute

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Programme editor: Peter Rudlof
Editorial assistance: Wolfgang Mizelli
Presented by: Doris Rudlof-Garreis
Music: Martin Moro and Hannes Urdl
Translation: Anna Hadler

Music: “Circles" (Martin Moro)

Jochen: Well, I have been living in my own flat for two years and the living conditions have improved quite a lot because now I am in the position to lead an independent life.

Narrator: Independent Living

I can meet friends in private whenever and wherever I want without any restrictions...

Narrator: The story of a young man with disabilities from Austria

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Program redaktör: Peter Rudlof
Redaktionsassistent: Wolfgang Mizelli
Presenterad av: Doris Rudlof-Garreis
Musik: Martin Moro and Hannes Urdl
Musik: "Circles" (Martin Moro)

Jochen: Sedan två år tillbaka bor jag nu i egen lägenhet och hela min livssituation har förändrats totalt. Numera är jag praktiskt taget helt oberoende. 

Speaker: Att leva ett självbestämt liv - berättelsen om en ung funktionshindrad man i Österrike.

Intervjuer och research Anne Rentzsch.

© BBC News - Tuesday, February 16, 1999

The study found life was ended to "preserve dignity".

Euthanasia controls are failing in the Netherlands, where the practice is regulated and tolerated, according to a report.

The finding has led campaigners to warn against decriminalising the practice in the UK.

Voluntary euthanasia has not been a criminal offence in Holland since 1984, when courts and the Royal Dutch Medical Association drew up strict guidelines for doctors.

However, a survey into medical practice regarding end of life decisions carried out in 1996 suggests some doctors are ignoring these safeguards.

Its findings are presented in the Journal of Medical Ethics.

"Legislation for Human Rights"
Stockholm, Sweden, 24 August 1998

Lydia Brichtová, Ministry of Labour, Social Affairs and Family of the Slovak Republic

Ladies and Gentlemen,

First of all I would like to tell you how happy I am to be able to come here to join you in the discussion about different national approaches for the protection of human and civil rights of people with disabilities.

Imagine for a moment you have a long-term disability - and an ardent desire to live independently. Let's say you use a wheelchair (as I do), and you need help getting in and out of the shower or fixing dinner or doing a load of wash.

Unless you have a family member able to volunteer 20 or more hours a week, your answer probably is a PCA or personal care attendant.

Unless you're well-fixed financially, you probably have to apply to the state for help in paying for such assistance.

PDF, 50 KB

Introduction
Questions and Answers
Where to get more information
Brokerage Schemes
Questions you could ask an agency

Gateshead Personal Assistance Pilot Project

by Stuart Bracking and Ross Cowan

Independent Living

Independent Living is when Disabled people enjoy the same opportunities to live and participate in the community as non-disabled people, free of any forced dependency upon their family or friends, and can exercise choice and control over the decisions affecting their own lives.

As a philosophy, it is based on four assumptions:

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[Slogan chanting in Spanish]
[Slogan chanting in French]

Joe Bollard: In the last week of September 2003 people with disabilities from all over Europe converged on Strasbourg. The idea, to march to the European parliament building. This event formed part of the European initiative towards the promotion of Independent Living for people with disabilities. The Strasbourg Freedom Drive as it was called saw the largest ever number of people with disabilities to converge on the European Parliament.