Assessing Your Needs

What are personal assistance services?

With what tasks do you need assistance from a personal assistant? It may be helpful to break down your daily living needs, and include these tasks in a written job description. Examples of tasks include: dressing, undressing, shaving, bathing, bowel care, cleansing after toileting, communication assistance, writing or typing, brushing teeth, grooming, skin care, hair care, medications, cooking, laundry, mobility, transferring, trimming nails, transportation, turning at night, shopping or errands, use of assistive devices, cleaning equipment.

Assess when you need the most assistance, and approximately how long each task will take. It is also helpful to include the qualifications/skills you would like your assistant to have, and any equipment you use. You may only need assistance at certain times of the day. Or you may need an assistant for a block of time each day.

If you receive your services through a state assistance program, there may be restrictions placed on what your assistant can and cannot perform. Check to see if the state program you are on covers tasks that may be delegated by a registered nurse to personal assistant.

GENERAL WORK RULES

Consumers should encourage a safe and pleasant work atmosphere. This can happen when everyone cooperates and commits to appropriate standards of behavior.

The following is a list of behaviors that the consumer may consider unacceptable. Any employee found engaging in these behaviors may be subject to disciplinary actions including reprimand, warning or dismissal:

  • Failure to be at work at the regular starting time.
  • Willfully damaging, destroying, or stealing property belonging to the consumer.
  • Engaging in disorderly conduct.
  • Refusing or failing to carry out instructions of the consumer or their Representative.
  • Leaving your consumer unattended without permission.
  • Ignoring work duties as dictated by consumer Plan of Care.
  • Intentionally giving any false or misleading information to obtain employment.
  • Using threatening or abusive language.
  • Falsifying any record.
  • Willfully or habitually violating safety or health regulations.
  • Failing to wear clothing conforming to the standards set by the consumer.
  • Possessing firearms, weapons, alcohol or drugs on consumer property.