Person-centered planning is built on the values of inclusion and looks at what support a person needs to be included and involved in their community. Person-centered approaches offer an alternative to traditional types of planning, which are based on the medical model of disability and are set up to assess needs, allocate services, and make decisions for people. Person-centered planning is rooted in the social model. It aims to empower people who have traditionally been disempowered by 'specialist' or segregated services by handing power and control back to them.

Personal Care

A personal assistant is expected to follow the rules set by the employer regarding smoking, the use of drugs and alcohol, sex, guests, overnight guests, and all things expected of the Personal Assistant while the employer is resting or asleep.

Specific tasks would include things like:

• My home is smoke-free
• Smokers may smoke outside, but not in my home or in my car

A personal assistant may complete aspects of personal care regarding bathing, shaving, dressing, toileting, oral hygiene, transferring, and sleep schedule as directed by the employer. Specific tasks can be outlined in the Personal Assistant job description and agreed upon by the employer and the Personal Assistant.

For example, items on the job description should be specific like:

• Assist me with bathing, dressing, and hair care
• Assist me with transfers from my wheelchair to the toilet
• Help me with transfer between wheelchair and bed
• Assist with personal hygiene, including washing hair and shaving

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Domestic and Household

A personal assistant will assist with any necessary domestic or household tasks, including shopping, meal preparation, eating, laundry and cleaning, and housekeeping. Specific tasks can be outlined in the Personal Assistant job description and agreed upon by the employer and the personal assistant.

Specific tasks would include things like:

• Ask me what I want for breakfast
• Prepare my meals
• Vacuum the carpets
• Do laundry
• Clean the bathroom and empty the trash once a week, daily quick clean up of tub, toilet and sink

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Community

A personal assistant may assist with activities in the community, including banking, participation in groups, community access, participation in religious activities, job activities, and transportation. Specific tasks can be outlined in the Personal Assistant job description and agreed upon by the employer and the Personal Assistant.

• Provide support when I'm at a meeting
• Drive to work, errands, or recreation

Self-direction of personal care (attendant) services for Kansas Home- and Community-Based Services waiver individuals began when Kansas passed a law in 1989 requiring that all individuals 16 years of age and older who receive personal care services have the right to choose whether or not to self-direct those services and to choose their attendant. Advocates for the legislation were the Centers for Independent Living (CILs), which provided the support services needed for individuals to self-direct, including financial management services necessary to hire an independent provider to provide their personal care services. In addition to CILs, licensed home health agencies and “payroll agencies” perform similar functions.

The Kansas Nurse Practice Act allows workers to perform a broad array of personal care services including “health maintenance activities” including administration of medications, catheter irrigation, enemas, suppositories, and wound care if a physician or nurse determines that it is safe for the procedure to be performed by a worker in the home. Many states allow only nurses to perform these tasks. Self-directed attendants may also provide non-nursing tasks for individuals.

Personal care services were offered with the self-direct option through existing programs in 1991. Currently, self-direction is offered to program-eligible individuals who participate in the Frail Elderly (FE), Intellectual/Developmental Disability (I/DD), Physical Disability (PD), Brain Injury (TBI), and Technology Assisted (TA) programs.