Finding
a Personal Assistant
Disincentives |
Finding a Personal Assistant
Personal Assistance Market
The face of the PAS market is gradually changing as there is a
growing movement to get people with disabilities out of institutions. Grass roots groups
are rising to the challenge of educating our policy and decision makers about the reality
of the need for these services. People with disabilities are demonstrating that when and
where the PAS are available, people are better off emotionally, socially and financially.
We have all had good and bad experiences with Personal Assistants. There is a high rate of
turnover. There are disincentives for this kind of work. It attracts many people in
transition. These elements affect the safety and stability of the people in need of these
essential supports.
Part of the process of this manual is to help consumers define and clearly state what you
need assistance with; develop a self marketing plan that will take you step by step in
screening out people that are not sincere about providing the services needed; choosing
the best applicant; managing i.e. keeping the lines of communication open for feedback;
terminating or making a transition from one PA to another when that time comes.
The following circumstances will have some effect on your mission to locate a PA provider:
- Locations you choose to advertise.
- The manner and attitude you project.
- The resources for payment of services.
It is important to discern between positive and negative transitions of
potential PA's. We need to develop good skills in the recognition of human motivation and
character. We can do that through experiences, discussions with peers and reading and
becoming aware.
Some people contract with nursing agencies that screen, schedule and provide Personal
Assistants. That still does not make people exempt from a range of good and bad providers.
There are no guarantees for any of us and this manual is not a fool proof method of
finding the perfect PAS provider. The human condition will still surprise us and some of
the most skilled personnel in the corporate world are not free from hiring people who do
not work out.
This manual is for those who want more direct control over who is being hired and those
who are required because of financial reasons to hire and manage a PAS.
We need to be honest, open and direct in exploring some of the realities that face people
with disabilities in hiring someone on limited income. Sometimes that appears as
categorizing and stereotyping. Sometimes it is.
Disincentives for Personal
Assistants paid through state funds include:
- Low wages
- No benefits
- No vacation days
- No holidays
- Taxes not taken out
- No retirement
- No career incentives
These disincentives challenge those of us in locating a potential
provider, a quality provider. Given limited resources, we find ourselves hiring from a
pool of individuals which in many cases have questionable motives.
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