Bubble Wrap Is for Packages, Not for People: Balancing Duty of Care and Dignity of Risk

Abstract

Supporting clients and their families to live ordinary lives lies at the heart of occupational therapy. But an ordinary life—no matter who is living it—is full of risks, and risks often make us a little anxious. What if I, as a practitioner, encourage a client to take a risk and something undesirable does happen? Will I have shirked my duty of care? Not all experiences we label risky lead to undesirable outcomes. Some simply involve challenges: pushing people beyond their comfort zone so they can achieve more than ever before. Self-esteem is born out of meeting challenges; so is respect. In supporting clients and families to meet the challenges of an ordinary life, we balance duty of care with dignity of risk.