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Employing a Personal Assistant that lets you take control
The main advantage of receiving direct payments is that they allow you to choose what suits you best and when, giving you the benefit of more independence and control over your life.
The person that you employ to work for you in your home (your personal assistant) should be aware of the fact that they are there to support you, not to take over from you. This can be made clear in your job description and during interviewing.
Occasionally a personal assistant may take over from the person they are working for, not allowing them to make their own decisions and have control over their life. Here are some warning signs:
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Does your personal assistant generally make decisions for you, decide what you will eat and what you wear? |
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Do you feel that you are not really in control of your own life? |
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In social situations, does your personal assistant generally speak for you and do people generally address questions to them rather than you? |
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If you speak, do you find that your personal assistant contradicts what you say? |
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Does your personal assistant actively refuse to do things for you, for example suggesting you wait till you get home to go to the toilet? |
If you answer yes to any of these questions then maybe it's time to clear the air and/or look for another personal assistant.
What kind of relationship do you want with your personal assistant?
The relationship between a personal assistant and the disabled person they work for is inevitably a very close one. Some people make a very conscious effort to keep the relationship on a formal business setting, as between employer and employee. Other people argue that it would be impossible for them not be friendly with people with whom they spend so much time.
What kind of person are you looking for to work for you?
Think about the kind of person you are looking for. For example- caring, responsible, flexible, respects your privacy, respects your right to independence and so on.
Getting support when looking for a personal assistant
Interviewing for a personal assistant can be daunting unless you are very confident and assertive. It's good to have someone with you for support, who can also give a second opinion.
It can be useful to tape record the interviews so that you can remember specific ones clearly (especially after you've interviewed several people).
Training your personal assistant
All the training of your personal assistant will have to be done by you. Don't let this put you off as a lot of it will be based on you making clear what you like and want and your personal assistant getting used to this.
It’s good to set some guidelines and make your expectations and requirements clear right from the start. That way your personal assistant knows what is expected from them and the relationship is more likely to start off on a good note as everyone has a clear understanding of their role.
You may want to arrange for your personal assistant to do a formal qualification - see Guide to Training Courses and NVQs
