Abstract of B. Hozmi lecture

QUALITY OF LIFE AND LIFE SATISFACTION OF THE

RESIDENTIAL SETTING AND LEISURE ACTIVITIES OF PEOPLE

WITH INTELLECTUAL DISABILITY - PARTICIPATORY ACTION

EVALUATION APPROACH

B. Hozmi, D. Roth

Beit Issie Shapiro, Israel

Quality of life is a central existential issue in one's life. Assessing

quality of life is a controversial and complex process, especially when

people with ID are the involved. The process of implementing the

value and principals of inclusive evaluations will be presented.

Evaluation of the quality of life of 46 residents with ID was conducted

with regards to their residence and their leisure activity. 11 residents

were the initial focus group, to establish the assessment measure,

based on Schalock's model of Quality of live. This focus group fully

involved in the discussion of the findings. Findings will be presented

with unique insights due to the active participation of the stake-holders

in the evaluation process. The areas which were assessed are:

General satisfaction from life. Ability to be productive. Control and

independence. Social and community belonging. A parallel process

was conducted with staff members who were asked on the way they

perceive QOL generally and the way they associate their clients with

QOL. Significant gaps were revealed in comparing the client's and the

staff's perspectives of QOL. Implementation of the findings will be

presented in terms of intervention and improvement of services. In

additions, actions taken by the organization which requested the

evaluation will be presented.