“Higher wages, training and benefits would make being a direct support worker a respected profession and a viable career choice,” notes Kathleen Bates in The True Costs and Benefits of Self-Directed Care: Living with Independence, Freedom, and Equality (LIFE) Account Feasibility Study & Implementation Plan. (pdf)
Bates describes her own circumstances and those of several other New Hampshire residents in order to outline the challenges of living with a disability and finding competent and compatible direct-care workers to help with daily activities - not to mention backup when a caregiver is unable to get to work. She also describes the rewards of managing one’s own care and maintaining one’s role as a parent, a worker, and a fully engaged member of a community.
The goal of consumer-directed models like New Hampshire’s The Personal Care Attendant program, says Bates, is to improve the quality of life and increase the access to community for people with disabilities. And “in order to make this work,” she writes, ”we need to invest in the work force.”
Elise Nakhnikian, Senior Online Editor
enakhnikian@phinational.org
This is a fantastic article that speaks to all Americans having the rights and opportunities to live a life as they see fit. It only makes sense that people with disabilities, their families, friends and allies have more control over the finances and resources alotted to a person to support their daily life in order to contribute to society in many, many ways. As Kathy mentioned, it does take paid committed, dedicated workers to assist people with disabilities to help with some basic needs and without them human potential is lost. People with disabilities need to be seen as equals in our society and direct support workers need to be valued as a type of professional who can help the American Dream be realized by all.