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Keeping Personal Business Private

People who use AAC and who have physical disabilities may have a number of people who provide them with daily services and care and who have access to their personal belongings and information. Personal information might include their mail, information about their health, journal writings, emails, receipts, bank accounts, computer records, identification cards etc. In addition, people who use AAC have the right to privacy about the people they see, where they go and what they do. Some people who use AAC and who share accommodations and attendant services are concerned about their privacy in such matters.

50% of the participants in this project wanted to learn more about ways to keep their personal information private.

• Issues for People who use AAC
• Tips for Keeping Your Personal Business Private
• Phrases for Communicating
• Sample Communication Displays
• Practice Scenarios

ACCPC takes no responsibility for any of the suggestions listed here. These suggestions are intended to highlight issues that can be customized for an individual. We ask that you share your ideas with us so that we can in turn share them with other AAC users. Contact Us with Your Ideas

Issues for People who use AAC   

People who use AAC tell us that they have had their personal information used or stolen. One male reported that a family member used his information to fraudulently access his money.

• People who use AAC may need:


• Ways to keep their personal information private and safe at home.


• Vocabulary to tell people how to respect their privacy.

Tips for Keeping Your Personal Business Private   

The following suggestions have been made by people who use AAC:

• Know that you have a right to privacy.


• Do not feel that you have to share information that you think is private.


• Tell people that you expect to have your privacy respected.


• Watch and listen for what people may do with your personal business.


• Hide or lock away important papers, medical information or other personal information.


• Give necessary information only to people you trust (e.g. your bank account #, PIN #).


• Have a special place to keep valuable information such as a locked drawer or safety deposit box.


• Arrange to have password protection on your computer. If you use a shared computer, different users can be set up. This requires a user name and password.


• Microsoft Word® allows "file passwords" that requires a password to open a document.


• Use a free web-based email program (i.e. Hotmail, Yahoo! etc.) as it requires you to enter a user name and password. You can also access your email from any computer with internet access, without setup.


• Learn to “hide your tracks” when using the computer by emptying your browser's cache and clearing it's "History".


• Use code words/expressions or secret signals when speaking with family and friends.


• As you may have attendants in the room with you when someone calls on your hands-free phone, ask callers to first ask you:
  
• Are you alone?
• Can we speak openly?


• When receiving phone calls on a hands-free phone, ask others in the room to leave.


• Ask callers to call back, or tell them you will call them later. Give a specific time when you will be alone.


• Speak with management if staff are not keeping your business private.


• If you suspect that the person will talk about your business, you should tell them not to that.


• Be suspicious of people who openly talk about other people’s private business in front of you. They are likely doing the same thing about you in front of others. Tell them to stop.


• Do not accept people being nosy about your things.


• Door openers/closers


• Monitors


• Computer security


• Security alarms

Phrases for Communicating   

You may want to tell a family member, or staff/attendant, that you want your personal business kept private. This could involve asking them not to open your mail, or throw out things unless you give permission to do this. It might mean that you want to ask them to keep information about you private from other staff or other residents.

You may want to:

• Choose a message you want to use.


• See if you can communicate this message in an effective and efficient way.


• Decide if you want to have it added to your device or display.


• Decide how you want the message represented:
  
• Words
• Pictures
• Symbols


• You may want to discuss how and when you would use the message.


• You may want to practice using it.

The following vocabulary items have been suggested by people who use AAC:

• "Please don’t open my mail."


• "Please ask me before you open my mail."


• "Please don’t read, touch or open my stuff unless I ask."


• "I will ask you when/if I want you to open my mail."


• "Please don’t throw out my mail without checking with me first."


• "If I need your help, I will ask. Thank you."


• "This is private."


• "I would like to have this conversation in private, please."


• "Please do not share my personal information with other people."


• "Please do not talk about other people in front of me."


• "Please respect the confidentiality agreement you signed and keep my business private."


• "Please respect my privacy."


• "I can’t talk right now."


• "I’ll call you back."


• "Please call me back in 15 minutes."


• "Could you give me some privacy please?"


• "Please don’t tell me about other people’s private business."


• "Please stop."


• "Please don’t talk about my business with other people."


• "Was that information put in my file?"


• "This is confidential."


• "Was this information shared with others?"

Communication Support

Sample Communication Displays   

Picture Displays

The following displays use Mayer-Johnson's Boardmaker v5.x software. If you want to edit or print any of these displays you will need this software.

• Privacy - Personal and Things

 

Text Displays

The following displays use Microsoft Word software. If you want to edit or print any of these displays you will probably need this software.

• Privacy - Personal and Things

Practice Scenarios   

1. Two staff members are in your room, making your bed. They are talking about making a medical appointment for another resident who they say has a skin condition that won’t go away. You feel uncomfortable hearing this information. What would you say?


2. Your sister comes into your room and noses around your things. She reads your mail and throws out things she thinks you don’t need. You are afraid to offend her feelings but you are upset that she is intruding on your privacy. What could you say or do?


3. An attendant makes derogatory remarks about your private life and the people you invite to stay overnight. What would you say or do?


4. You have a computer at home that you use for emails and accessing the internet. You are concerned that your family may want to know what you do on your computer. What would you say or do?