ABSTRACT
The World Health Organisation propose that quality of life is an individual's perception of his or her position in life in the context of the culture and value systems in which they live and in relation to their goals, expectations, standards and concerns. It is a broad ranging concept affected in a complex way by the person's physical health, psychological state, personal beliefs, social relationships and the relationship to salient features of their environment. Being without a "voice" means people with Locked-In Syndrome (LIS) are disempowered and have no ability to make decisions around their care and future life. In the case of Allen Paul, assessment is not hampered by him having LIS as he has a very clear and helpful communication system, the only issue being the length of time it takes to utilise the system. LIS is a rare and serious condition presenting with profound motor deficits and presumed intact cognition.
