Ep 157: Person-Centered Support in Action: Practical Tools for Better Outcomes

In this ID Health Matters podcast episode, David Toback discusses how to put person-centered thinking into daily practice when supporting people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. He emphasizes that person-centered support means seeing individuals as whole people rather than focusing only on diagnoses, and describes several practical tools: the Learning Log, which captures meaningful observations about what worked and did not work during everyday experiences; the Two-Minute Drill, a simple technique for encouraging participation and generating ideas in meetings and conversations; and Branching Conversations, which use curiosity and thoughtful follow-up questions to better understand what matters to a person. Toback also stresses the importance of "guess, ask, write" — avoiding assumptions, verifying understanding with the individual, and documenting their intentions rather than staff interpretations. Throughout the discussion, he highlights that listening first, acting with people rather than upon them, and ensuring their voices are heard can improve relationships, quality of life, and support outcomes while promoting dignity, inclusion, and genuine human connection.