Autonomy in long-term care: a need, a right or a luxury?

Doyal and Gough's theory of human need highlighted that personal autonomy is a universal need and human right, essential for well-being. In applying their theory to older disabled people in the UK the author suggests that their 'minimally autonomous' threshold would exclude some older people in long-term care who still have a fundamental need for autonomy or, alternatively, extant autonomy. The disability movement has highlighted that independent living is fundamental to achieving self-determination for disabled people and debate on equality and caregiving emphasises the autonomy of carers. However, there is a lack of recognition in both academic research and government policy of autonomy as a need and right of older disabled people. The author argues that autonomy is a human right of older people living in long-term care settings, but that social rights are necessary to facilitate their autonomy.