scholarly journals Personal Assistance Services (PAS) for Workers with Disabilities: Views and Experiences of Rehabilitation Service Providers

2007 ◽  
Vol 27 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sita Misra ◽  
Louis E. Orslene ◽  
Richard T. Walls
Keyword(s):  
Daily Living ◽  
Service Providers ◽  
Mail Survey ◽  
People With Disabilities ◽  
Rehabilitation Service ◽  
Personal Assistance ◽  
Work Related ◽  
Personal Assistance Services ◽  
Strong Positive Relationship ◽  
Personal Assistants

Personal Assistance Services (PAS) are defined as person-to-person services to assist people with disabilities with tasks they would perform if they did not have a disability. Traditionally, these services have focused on health care and activities of daily living. There has been minimal use of PAS in promoting employment and economic independence of people with disabilities. Research was conducted to determine the experiences and perceptions of rehabilitation service providers on the provision of PAS in the workplace. The study focused on (a) the definitional problems surrounding workplace PAS, (b) accessibility to PAS at the workplace, and (c) availability of resources (money and trained personal assistants). Views and experiences of rehabilitation service providers obtained through focus groups and a mail survey are presented. The rehabilitation service providers indicated that the success of providing PAS depended on establishing a strong, positive relationship with employers. Barriers to providing work-related PAS included lack of qualified assistants, transportation, and employers' lack of understanding of PAS.

Validating Vocational Rehabilitation-Service-Related Stress Scale (VRSS) for Vocational Rehabilitation Service Providers in Japan

2018 ◽  
Vol 24 (2) ◽  
pp. 103-114
Author(s):  
Mahoro Ishihara ◽  
Jun Yaeda ◽  
Mayu Fujikawa ◽  
Nobuko Sunami ◽  
Isao Wakabayashi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Factor Analysis ◽  
Vocational Rehabilitation ◽  
Service Providers ◽  
Factor Model ◽  
Internal Consistency Reliability ◽  
Rehabilitation Service ◽  
Stress Scale ◽  
Vocational Rehabilitation Service ◽  
Work Related ◽  
Related Stress

The purpose of this study was to validate the Vocational Rehabilitation-Service-Related Stress Scale (VRSS) with a sample of 429 vocational rehabilitation (VR) service personnel in Japan. Exploratory factor analysis was employed to determine the structure of the VRSS, and confirmatory factor analysis showed that the four-factor model had a good model fit. The internal consistency reliability of the VRSS, as measured by Cronbach's alpha, was .90. Results indicated that the VRSS is a valid and reliable measure that can be used to examine occupational stress in VR personnel. Work-related stress and quality assurance issues that pertain to the delivery of VR services are discussed.

Ethical Values in Personal Assistance: Narratives of People with Disabilities

2009 ◽  
Vol 16 (6) ◽  
pp. 759-774 ◽  
Author(s):  
Barbro Wadensten ◽  
Gerd Ahlström
Keyword(s):  
Content Analysis ◽  
Daily Life ◽  
Qualitative Interviews ◽  
People With Disabilities ◽  
Self Esteem ◽  
Ethical Values ◽  
Personal Assistance ◽  
Ethical Knowledge ◽  
Personal Assistants ◽  
Latent Content

The aim of this study was to investigate the experiences of persons with severe functional disabilities who receive personal assistance in their homes, the focus being on their daily life in relation to the ethical principles represented in the Swedish Disability Act: autonomy, integrity, influence and participation. Qualitative interviews were performed with 26 persons and thereafter subjected to qualitative latent content analysis. The experiences of personal assistance were very much in accordance with the said principles, the most important factor being that one is met with understanding. The participants described situations in which their integrity was violated in that they were not treated as competent adults. This indicates the importance of future efforts in nursing to support personal assistants with ethical knowledge and supervision so that they can empower people with disabilities and thereby enable them to maintain their self-esteem and dignity.

scholarly journals Caregiving and COVID-19: Perspectives from a Care Coach

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 937-937
Author(s):  
Kelly Marnfeldt ◽  
Lilly Estenson ◽  
Julia Rowan ◽  
Kathleen Wilber
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Family Caregivers ◽  
Caregiver Burden ◽  
Service Providers ◽  
Community Dwelling ◽  
Nutrition Support ◽  
Negative Consequences ◽  
Personal Assistance ◽  
Personal Assistance Services ◽  
Telephonic Coaching

Abstract Family caregivers of community-dwelling older adults have faced unprecedented caregiving challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic. Examining the accumulated impact on family caregivers can help health and aging service providers design resources and supports that are resilient to emergency situations, and reduce negative psychological and physical consequences and risk of abuse within caregiving dyads. Data was collected as part of a pilot intervention in which “Care Coaches” provided telephonic coaching sessions to family caregivers of older adults. We examined Care Coach observations documented after coaching sessions with 24 family caregivers between March 2020 and February 2021. Two coders employed thematic analysis to generate codes and themes. The sample was 70% female, 80% were the spouse or significant other of their care receiver, the mean age was 61, and 53% were Non-Hispanic White. Themes and sub-themes included: (1) increased caregiver burden and diminished care networks due to fear of exposure to or contraction of COVID-19, (2) barriers to accessing in-home personal assistance services and home-delivered meals despite intervention efforts, and (3) the exacerbation of caregiver social isolation due to COVID-19 lockdown policies. Findings highlight the ways in which COVID-19 has amplified caregiver burden through the breakdown of formal and informal support systems. Potential adaptations of community-based services for older adults and their caregivers include remote service liaisons and need assessment of caregiver dyads to assure access to home-based personal assistance services and nutrition support for those at greatest risk of negative consequences during emergency service lapses.

Barriers and Satisfaction Associated with Personal Assistance Services: Results of Consumer and Personal Assistant Focus Groups

2005 ◽  
Vol 25 (2) ◽  
pp. 66-74 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sandra J. Matsuda ◽  
Mary J. Clark ◽  
Laura H. Schopp ◽  
Kristofer J. Hagglund ◽  
Emily K. Mokelke
Keyword(s):  
Spinal Cord ◽  
Focus Groups ◽  
Spinal Cord Injuries ◽  
Training Programs ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Personal Assistance ◽  
Personal Assistance Services ◽  
Personal Assistant ◽  
Personal Assistants

The work of personal assistants is crucial to the quality of life, health, and participation of consumers with spinal cord injuries. The purpose of this study was to describe the barriers and satisfaction experienced by consumers and personal assistants. Transcripts were taken from five focus groups conducted with 24 consumers with spinal cord injuries and 15 personal assistants. Results revealed that both groups experienced problems with the consumer and personal assistant relationship, inadequate reimbursement, and restrictive policies. Satisfaction was experienced when a positive working relationship existed for both groups. Assistants derived satisfaction from the altruistic nature of their work. Future research is needed to identify the most effective methods for personal assistant recruitment, training, and retention. Specific methods to be tested include increasing personal assistant reimbursement, providing training programs for both consumers and assistants, and increasing the flexibility of personal assistance services policies.

scholarly journals Disability and Health: A Research Agenda

2013 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 37-45 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hasheem Mannan ◽  
Malcolm MacLachlan
Keyword(s):  
Research Agenda ◽  
Service Providers ◽  
People With Disabilities ◽  
Research Programme ◽  
Evidence Base ◽  
Communicable Diseases ◽  
Rehabilitation Service ◽  
Non Communicable Diseases ◽  
New Guidelines ◽  
Social Gain

Disability is not a 'health problem'; however some people with disabilities do have increased health needs, and all people with disabilities have the same right to access health services as others. The number of people living with disabilities is increasing, due partly to increasing numbers of people living with the consequences of chronic communicable and non-communicable diseases. Based on recommendations of the World Report on Disability, which provides the parameters for research, this paper sets out a research agenda calling for a considerable research programme on social, civil, and economic impacts of living with disability, arising from whatever cause, including communicable and non-communicable diseases; significant global health policy revisions; identification of constraints and facilitators in access to healthcare for people with disabilities; development of a robust evidence base for implementing the new guidelines on community-based rehabilitation; innovations in addressing human resource challenges faced by disability and rehabilitation service-providers; development of enabling technologies that focus on individuals' aspirations and social gain; preparedness for responding to the needs of people with disabilities in disaster situations; and the application of disability metrics to strengthen health systems.

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