What the work is like

A person who would be a good personal assistant or personal care attendant (PCA) is someone who has patience and common sense. It's someone who feels that individuals with disabilities are entitled to the same support, respect, and quality of life as anybody else.

Good personal assistants are good listeners. They're open-minded, flexible, and have a pleasant personality. And they treat people the way they themselves like to be treated.

What a Personal Assistant does

Depending on the needs of the employer, a personal assistant may perform physical tasks and/or guidance in activities of daily living.

This may involve:

• Bathing, dressing, eating, toileting, and transferring in and out of a wheelchair
• Helping the employer get ready for work
• Driving the employer to work and assisting during the day
• Working evenings after the employer comes home
• Prepare meals and do household chores
• Support the employer in leisure activities

People providing this type of support need to be comfortable with the level of intimacy needed to provide these services.

People who need support around issues of judgment, remembering to do certain things, or who need to copy the actions of another require a different kind of support. In this situation, the assistant may remind the person to take medications or bathe, help arrange social activities, assist with paperwork and make phone calls.

In all cases, the personal assistant should have a good understanding of what needs to be done, and should provide this service in a gentle and respectful manner.