Question
I am a college student with CP living in California.  I use a wheelchair and have some fine motor skill problems.   I am finding it more difficult to live on my own than I thought it would be,  because homework takes a lot of my time and energy.  So, I want to hire a PCA,  but I have no clue where to start. Are there any government programs I should look into? Or websites where I can post the job description?

Answer
Hi Angela and thanks for writing (sorry I took a few days to respond but I was off sick myself),

The way it works here is you call your local health unit and they will assess your needs (physical & financial) and then they'll let you know what you qualify for through them (ie: they may supply 2 hours of hosuekeeping a week, they may supply 2 hours of Persoanl Care a day, they may say you don't qualify for what ever reason, etc...). That is the best thing to check first (I always say we all pay enough taxes so lets see what if anything the government will give back). You should also ask them what other resources are available in your area.

Another resource I can think of are the local CP Association, they probably know services that can help you and which ones are best. Hospital Social Workers are always a wealth of info on local services and perhaps you'll find a friendly one who will help you in the community. Also look in the government pages under "Community Services" and see who else may be available.

As a last resort call a few local Nursing Services and ask a few basic questions "Rates, Minimum Hours, Continuity of Service, Qualifications" etc... and you should get a feel for which one is really there to help and not just make money.

I hope this has helped a bit. Good luck and please feel free to write again any time.

Margot