PCA care plan

Your care plan must follow the PCA Assessment and Service Plan DHS-3244 (PDF) you get from the assessor.

Under traditional PCA, you and your qualified professional develop the care plan together. Under PCA Choice, you develop your care plan, with help from your qualified professional if needed. You must use your PCA provider agency's care plan template. The following information summarizes what PCAs can and cannot do for you. These are called covered and non-covered services.

PCAs can help you with covered services including:

• Dressing
• Grooming/hygiene
• Bathing
• Eating
• Transfers
• Mobility
• Positioning
• Toileting
• Health-related procedures and tasks
• Observing and redirecting behaviors

For adults, PCA may also help with instrumental activities of daily living such as:

• Meal planning and preparation
• Basic assistance with paying bills
• Shopping for food, clothing and other essential items
• Performing household tasks integral to PCA services
• Communication by telephone and other media
• Traveling to medical appointments and community events

PCAs can assist children with instrumental activities of daily living (IADL) ONLY under the following conditions:

• Light housekeeping and laundry for health and hygiene reasons integral to PCA services
• Sole benefit of the child
• Listed on the PCA assessment and service plan

Under the direction of you or your responsible party, your PCA can:

• Remind you to take your medications
• Bring you your medication
• Assist with opening medication

PCAs cannot:

• Decide your need for medication
• Set
• up your medication
• Evaluate the effectiveness of your medication
• Inject medications

PCAs cannot:

• Assist with sterile procedures
• Inject fluids and medications into veins, muscles or skin
• Complete home maintenance or chore services
• Complete homemaker services that are not an integral part of assessed needs
• Apply restraints
• Assist with most instrumental activities of daily living for children under 18
• Provide services in lieu of other staffing options in a residential or childcare setting
• Cannot work solely as a childcare or babysitting service
• Provide services in the PCA's home
• Sleep on the job

There are some differences between what PCAs can do for adults and children. Details are available at PCA services for children under age 18.

Most PCA services are delivered in your home. You can use your PCA services at work, shopping, medical appointments, worship services, school or any place you would normally go in the community.

The PCA cannot provide services in the PCA's home, unless the PCA lives with you.

If the location of services includes a fee or other costs, discuss this with your PCA prior to event. PCAs are not required to pay for expenses related to providing services.

PCAs may assist you at work. They may provide any assistance you need in your care plan. You have the following choices for getting personal care assistance at work:

• You may schedule a PCA to come in to your workplace at the times you need help.
• You may find someone employed at your workplace who is willing to work as a PCA for you.

Please check with your employer before hiring a co-worker to be a PCA in the workplace.

Sometimes you may need help with things specific to your job, such as typing or filing. Talk with your employer about the options you have for getting this help. Perhaps someone else at the workplace can help arrange assistance or assist with tasks. These are often considered reasonable accommodations under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).