What is a Personal Assistant?
A Personal Assistant (sometimes called a home health aide or personal care attendant) is a person who provides assistance with the activities of daily living (ADLs) such as dressing, bathing, transferring (for example, from wheelchair to bed), light housekeeping, meal preparation, shopping, bowel and bladder care. These are the activities required for day to day functioning and safety that the person receiving the service is unable to perform independently due to illness, injury, or disability.
Who uses Personal Assistants?
Personal Assistant Services (PAS) are used by a large variety of people, including many who are paralyzed from spinal cord injury or illness. A growing number of people using personal assistance services are elderly or have a disability. People also may require personal assistance on a temporary basis while recovering from an illness or injury.
Personal assistants make it possible for people who need some help with the activities of daily living to remain out of a hospital or nursing home, live in their own homes, and stay independent and active. Not having this basic help often prevents people from living independently, working and paying taxes, or being an active part of the community.