Personal assistance services and case management

Case managers can serve a vital role in the coordination and support of consumer-driven personal assistance services (PAS) for people with disabilities. Personal assistants provide services such as assistance with mobility needs, transferring in and out of a bed or wheelchair, bathing, dressing, grooming, toileting, preparing meals, check writing, and communication interpretation. Maximum independence and autonomy are often achieved when disabled people manage the services that they need. By focusing case management on doing what the individual directs, the case manager can enhance independence, autonomy, and accommodation. In response to needs identified by its members, the Paralyzed Veterans of America (PVA) began to develop a comprehensive PAS training program for institutions, agencies, families, and individuals. The Independent Living Training Program is based on an approach to PAS that incorporates a case management model that supports the principles of consumer empowerment and self-determination.