Many persons with disabilities (PWD’s) in Nepal lack of aid or assistance. Thus, (ILC) organizes certified training programs for Personal Attendants (PWD’s) to aid and support them.
What is the duty of a Personal Attendant (PA)?
The tasks of a Personal Attendant are mainly to aid of persons with disabilities which includes: caring, washing, guiding in mobility and social interaction. Simple tasks like these require lot of attention and may not sound as facile as we think so. A lot of hand work and training is needed to effectively and successfully aid persons with disabilities.
The training to become a professional and ILC certified Personal Attendant (PA) come in 3 phases:
- Internship (6 months training)
- Personal Attendant (3 years of working experience)
- Personal Attendant Coordinator
The Internship:
During this training program, interns will learn the basics of personal attending of persons with disabilities (PWD’s). Classes will be held in order to learn the various cases of persons with disabilities (PWD’s) such as polio patients, etc. In order to to assist, interns must firstly understand what the basic barriers and requirements are; Transportation, Cooking, Hygiene (washing), dressing, basic physiotherapy and social communication.
- Transportation: The interns learn how to properly and respectfully transport a client from chair to bed, to vehicle, to toilet, up and down stairs, etc.
- Cooking: Depending on the clients affliction to aid in food cooking so that the client, different levels of assistance is given to the client. So that our clients can actively help cook a proper meal without barriers along with the support of interns. If the client is not able to use their hands, the intern steps up to cook for them.
- Hygiene (washing): is a sensitive matter for persons with disabilities (PWD’s) and so, the intern must learn in theory so as to proceed in this activity and how to aid the client regarding the hygiene. After theorizing, the interns will have a chance to assist the Personal Attendant (PA) with the permission of the client.
- Dressing: some persons with disabilities (PWD’s) have a lot of trouble dressing themselves due to their affliction. Interns will learn how to tackle this obstacle by aiding the client getting dressed and learn effective helping techniques.
- Basic physiotherapy: many persons with disabilities (PWD’s) suffer from muscle loss because they are unable to move certain muscles. The intern will have to study basic muscle massage and physiotherapy techniques in order to provide aid.
- Social communication: persons with disabilities (PWD’s) are also prone to depression, abandonment and insecurity. Our interns will learn how to help break through these state of minds by actively and attentively interacting with the clients to boost their self-esteem and bringing a positive influence in the client’s life.
After the completion of this training interns have the chance to become an ILC certified Personal Attendant (PA).
The Personal Attendant:
Our Personal Attendants (PAs) are professionals at work providing the necessary assistance and aid to our clients. Having mastered the basics of personal attending of persons with disabilities, our personal attendants work closely with their designated Personal Attendant Coordinator (PAC).
Persons with disabilities often face barriers during outings such as a social of business visit. Our PAs thus attend the client during these outings and providing counsel and support. To be able to provide excellent service to our clients the PAs is required to follow once or twice classes per week further increase their knowledge in matters to support and aid. These classes also utilizes to hold general meetings and to discuss various obstacles as well as new innovations to improve the service of aid and support.
The Personal Coordinator:
After 3 years of experience, our Personal Attendants have the chance become Coordinators. The main responsibilities of our Coordinators is to organize intern trainings, Personal Attendant classes and general meetings. The Personal Coordinator also works closely with the clients to fully understand the exact requirements and barriers of the client. Eventually, the Coordinator will assign a Personal Attendant (PA) to the client.
The main requirements of a Personal Attendant:
- Assisting persons with disabilities (PWDs) with mobility; this may include outings or moving around in the house.
- Making food or feeding as required.
- Able to transfer of persons with disabilities (PWDs) from bed to chair, chair to toilet, chair to taxi etc.
- Lifting persons with disabilities from chair to the required place.
- Assisting in dressing
- Basic exercise to assist with muscle movement
- Pressure relief for person with quadriplegia
- Support persons with disabilities (PWDs) in getting assistance or services on outings.
- Engage persons with disabilities (PWDs) in conversations about their hobbies and interests
Personal Attendant required behaviors:
- Follow the direction of the Personal Attendant Coordinator (PAC) at all times.
- Be friendly and open
- Respond to the needs and follow the instructions of the client
- Be respectful at all times
- Encourage persons with disabilities (PWDs) to do activities that they can do themselves to increase their independence and security
- Be aware of your personal and the client’s safety while on the program and ask the Personal Attendant Coordinator for help if needed
- Discuss any concerns or issues with the Personal Attendant Coordinator
Join our training program today and make a difference for those who are not able to stand up for themselves!
