Common Pitfalls

Many people are nervous at first about getting a Personal Care Assistant (PCA). They may not want a stranger in their home or help doing things that are private, such as bathing or getting dressed. However, a PCA is a much more affordable and private option than many alternatives, such as living in an assisted living facility. If you need Personal Assistance Services (PAS), you should definitely talk to other people who use them and learn more about how they can help you.

If you think that there is no way you can afford to pay for PAS, consider applying for a Medicaid waiver program. Waiver programs help pay for services like PAS that can keep you living safely in your community instead of an institution.

Personal Assistance Services (PAS) may be paid for:

• Using your own money
• By a Medicaid waiver program
• By the Division of Aging Services, if you are 60 or over
• By an employer as a reasonable accommodation
• By the Georgia Vocational Rehabilitation Agency (GVRA) for a limited period of time as a job support

Consider all possibilities when deciding how to get the services you need. In some cases, a mix of funding is the right approach.

In Georgia, employers with 15 or more employees are required by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) to provide reasonable accommodations for employees with disabilities. If you need an adjustment to your job or workplace to do the essential functions of your current job, you should request it.

If you need Personal Assistance Services (PAS) to do your job, it may qualify as a reasonable accommodation. For example, you may need help with work-related duties, like filing or reaching work materials, or you may need PAS that help you with Activities of Daily Living (ADLs), like transportation to work or help in the restroom.

If the PAS you need is related to your work duties, your employer will usually pay for it. If the PAS is not related to your work duties, like if you need a Personal Care Assistant (PCA) to help you with ADLs, your employer probably will not pay for it.