Minnesota has many people who need the services of personal care assistants, but who may feel that they are ineligible, or that they cannot afford such services. Many people think that PCA services are reserved only for the elderly, when actually they are for anyone who is unable to perform their normal daily activities in and out of the home.
This could be the case for you, and you may even get this help without having to pay out of pocket.
There are plenty of situations in which home health care can be required even if only on a temporary basis. You are likely to have difficulty looking after yourself if you have recently suffered an injury that has resulted in a loss of limb, or you have been confined to a wheelchair for an extended period of time.
A personal care assistant can help you with a variety of tasks until you no longer require their services. Another benefit of having a personal care assistant help you out is that they can work around your schedule.
Although there are situations where family and friends can help, in most cases, you are forced to work on a schedule that is most convenient to them. A PCA can work with you when you need them, as well as getting you to and from appointments outside of your home.
A personal care assistant is more than someone who can assist you in your home duties. For many people, it is about having a friendly face nearby, and someone who will provide excellent company when it is needed most. Seniors who might not have a lot of friends, or who might have family who live out of state, often find it difficult to establish close personal relationships.
A PCA can help ensure that you do not become depressed in those situations. We spoke about how avoiding in-home help was due to both money and eligibility concerns at the start of this piece, and we have since shown that those concerns need not be a major factor. Something we haven’t discussed is pride, which can make people resist assistance when they really need it.
The personal care assistant has one aim: to help. They never judge you for requiring their assistance, so don’t let your pride be holding you back from making the call.