The personal care assistance program provides services to persons who need help with day-to-day activities to allow them be more independent in their own home. A personal care assistant is an individual trained to help persons with basic daily routines. A PCA may be able to help you if you have a physical, emotional or mental disability, a chronic illness or an injury.
Activities of Daily Living
A PCA may assist the person with the following ADLs:
- Dressing – Application of clothing and special appliances or wraps.
- Grooming – Basic hair care, oral cares, shaving, basic nail care, applying cosmetics and deodorant, care of eyeglasses and hearing aids.
- Bathing – Basic personal hygiene and skin care.
- Eating – Completing the process of eating including application of orthotics required for eating, hand washing and transfers.
- Transfers – Assistance to transfer the person from one seating or reclining area to another.
- Mobility – Assistance with ambulation.
- Positioning – Assistance with positioning or turning a person for necessary care and comfort.
- Toileting – Helping person with bowel or bladder elimination and care. This includes transfers, mobility, positioning, feminine hygiene, use of toileting equipment or supplies, cleansing the perineal area, inspection of the skin and adjusting clothing.