Biography

Joanne Taylor

Joanne Taylor is the Executive Director of the Nidus Personal Planning Resource Centre (formerly Representation Agreement Resource Centre), a non-government, charitable organization. Joanne is also Registrar of the Personal Planning Registry.

Nidus provides education on and assistance with personal planning in the event of incapacity, for end-of-life and for other support needs. Nidus is a Latin term for nest: a symbol of support and safety; to enable self-determination.

As a volunteer, Joanne chaired the Representation Agreement Task Group, the planning and policy group for implementation of the Representation Agreement Act (1993 to 2000).

Since the Representation Agreement Act came into effect in 2000, Joanne has assisted tens of thousands of people – the public and professionals – to learn about Representation Agreements, Enduring Powers of Attorney, expressing wishes and other tools related to personal planning. Most recently Joanne has added information on medical assistance in dying to the Nidus repertoire.

Joanne has personally assisted thousands of people to make, register and use Representation Agreements. She is also a hands-on resource to community volunteers and health care providers, mostly in the seniors sector, so they can help numerous other individuals and families with personal planning, and particularly Representation Agreements.

Joanne established the centralized Personal Planning Registry, operated by Nidus, for the public to securely store important information and documents (of all kinds) and make them available to others who may need to know. The Registry is an online service for 24/7 access.

In BC, a Representation Agreement under section 7 of the RA Act is a legal alternative to adult guardianship. Article 12 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (2008) is based on the BC Representation Agreement Act and the concept of supported decision making as provided in the legislation.

Under Joanne’s leadership, Nidus is recognized as the expert resource in the education and practice of personal planning and of Representation Agreements, as a legal alternative to adult guardianship.

Joanne has presented on Representation Agreements for a variety of professional groups in BC and for officials of public guardianship services in the United States and Australia. Joanne was a guest speaker at the 4^th World Congress on Adult Guardianship held in Berlin in September 2016.

Joanne has a Master’s degree in Adult Education and Counselling Psychology with an emphasis in Gerontology.  Joanne has knowledge and experience with dementia, hospice/palliative care and developmental disabilities.