Every year, thousands of Minnesotans are faced with having to provide care to a disabled or aging relative. Many of those individuals are very reluctant to have their loved ones transferred to a care facility. They instead prefer the idea of their loved one being cared for from the comforts of home.
It is nearly impossible to adequately describe how challenging it can be to care for a loved one. The emotional and physical tolls don’t always get the attention they deserve. However, financial ones do not either. It can be all-consuming to care for a loved one in the state of Minnesota, and that can seriously strain your finances.
Fortunately, you can provide your loved one with personal care and be compensated for it at the same time. That enables the caregiver to continue working in their role for as long as needed.
There are several different options that are available in Minnesota to become a paid PCA. Choosing one of these options is a critical first step to ensure a higher quality of life for both the recipient and the caregiver.
What is PCA Service?
A PCA, or Personal Care Assistant, in Minnesota, is employed by a professional agency that provides disabled people and the elderly with personal care assistance. Quite often, an individual PCA provides a relative with helpful services, and they are enrolled in Minnesota’s Department of Human Services.
Although some PCAs might provide care to multiple individuals who are not relatives of theirs, there are programs in Minnesota that allow family members to enroll to be a PCA to just care for a relative. Not all familial relationships are eligible to receive PCA care. It includes paid legal guardians of spouses and adults as well as step-parents and parents who care for underage children. Also, people who themselves receive PCA services are ineligible to be a caregiver.
After a PCA is employed by an agency, he or she can provide various forms of help to their relative. Typically, that involves helping with various daily living tasks such as mobility, eating, dressing, and bathing. Some PCAs will run errands and take their relatives to doctor’s appointments. They might help with physical exercise and provide mental stimulation. The tasks that are performed by the PCA are mainly dictated by the recipient’s needs.
Eligibility Guidelines
An individual who wants to be employed as a PCA has to be 18 years old at least. Exceptions might be made for people who are 16 or 17 years old if they are employed by just one provider agency and supervision is provided by a qualified professional every 60 days at least. To receive compensation, it is essential for a person to seek employment from a Minnesota PCA provider agency. The employment process includes conducting a criminal background check. Anyone who is unable to pass the screening will not be allowed to be employed as a PCA. After all other criteria are met, the person must enroll with Minnesota’s Department of Human Services as a PCA.
Anyone who wants to be a PCA in the state of Minnesota will have to pass a certification test and complete the required training first. The test can be taken multiple times until the person attains a passing score. It is free to take the test and is normally taken online.
After these requirements are fulfilled, the person seeking to be employed by an agency will then undergo a background check. Passing the check is the final step in Minnesota to become a paid caregiver to care for a family member.
It is a blessing to be able to provide a loved one with personalized care, but it still has challenged associated with it. It can place a significant financial strain on the person providing care and the individual who is being cared for. Becoming a PCA in the state of Minnesota helps to solve the problem by providing compensation to individuals who are providing a family member with essential services.