Cathy Ludlum

Cathy Ludlum’s personal and professional activities focus on the inclusion of people with disabilities in all areas of community life. As a person with a disability and an employer of personal assistants since 1988, Cathy brings an extensive background in the recruitment, hiring, and management of support staff. She has written several books, including a manual on how to hire personal assistants.

Most recently, as the Employer Liaison for the Connecticut Association of Personal Assistants (CTAPA), Cathy has been assisting employers by providing information about Medicaid waiver programs, management tips, and creative brainstorming.

Cathy Ludlum is an associate of the SRV Implementation Project, working on the issue of the vulnerability of people with impairments in medical settings.  She teaches workshops with Jo Massarelli on medical safeguarding and on demystifying assisted hydration and nutrition, or what it is like to have a g-tube.

Cathy has lived independently (with support) since 1992.

Medical safeguarding: Addressing vulnerability in medical settings

It seems at odds to think that safeguarding is necessary in healthcare settings such as hospitals. After all, all medical settings, especially hospitals, are places filled with talented health professionals whose edict is to do no harm. Yet the experience of many people with disability (and other marginalised groups, including the elderly and people with poor mental health) is that whenever they are hospitalised, they are exposed to grave dangers that jeopardise their health and safety.

In this powerful session, Jo Massarelli and Cathy Ludlum will explore what needs to be done to safeguard vulnerable people in a healthcare setting. From the perspective of an advocate and a person who manages her own practical care, they will offer practical information about how to ensure good outcomes during hospital stays.

About this session

• This is the second webinar in our pre-conference webinar series
• Wednesday, 8 May 2024
• 9:30 am to 12:00 pm AEST
• You can attend this webinar independently of the conference by registering for a Pre-conference webinar only ticket (flexible pricing available)
• All three pre-conference webinars are included in the main conference tickets

Register to attend the conference and/or the pre-conference webinars

Learn about the other conference speakers and their presentations

Pre-conference webinars

• Webinar 1 – Decision-making in everyday life – Janet Klees
• Webinar 2 – Medical safeguarding – Jo Massarelli and Cathy Ludlum
• Webinar 3 – Now is the time for vision – Darcy Elks

Main conference

• The secrets of fabulous skin self-direction – Margaret Ward
• Never too late to get a life – Josey McMahon and Cathy McMahon
• Building bridges to neighbourhood – Sarah Faulkner
• Safeguarding a Micro Enterprise for the future – Helen Neale
• Who is the person behind the behaviour, and what do they need? – Kane Morgan
• It’s a long game – Ann Greer, Valen Litster, and Sally Aubrey
• The importance of trust and relationship in supported decision-making – Kim Roots
• A sibling’s perspective – Rebecca Altaffer
• What happens when I cark it? – Linda Hughes
• Safeguarding Isaac’s good life through a Service for One – Sheree Henley
• More speaker details coming soon!

About the Safeguarding the Future conference

• Thursday-Friday, 23-24 May 2024
• 9:00 am – 5:00 pm both days
• Hotel Realm in Canberra
• Optional networking event on Thursday evening
• Three pre-conference webinars included in the main conference ticket
• Pre-conference webinar-only tickets are also available if you can’t attend the main event
• Flexible pricing is available for people with disability and their families from $0.00 to $225.00
• People with disability, their families, friends, and allies, support workers, education professionals, health professionals, and everyone interested in safeguarding the future of people with disability are welcome to attend.

Register to attend the conference and/or the pre-conference webinars