15 Feb 2010Ms Pirkko Mahlamäki, Finnish Disability Forum Personal assistance What is it?

Purpose The purpose of personal assistance is to assist severely disabled person to realize his or her own choices both at home and outside the home. Issues discussed today: What is personal assistance? How can you get it? How is it organized in practice?

What makes it personal? The severely disabled person himself, or herself makes the decision about: what kind of assistance he or she will have when, where, and how to receive the personal assistance and crucially also who it is that does the assisting.

3 Ways to organize personal assistance 1. Employer model 2. Voucher model 3. Assistance service

1. Employer model Severely disabled person is the employer of the assistant. Cost incurred through this employment relationship are compansated to the disabled employer by the municipality of residence.

2. Voucher model The severely disabled person receives a voucher for acquiring necessary assistance services. The voucher is provided by the municipality of residence and it must be of a reasonable value.

3. Assistance service The municipality acquires assistance services for the severely disabled person. Service is acquired from private producers or organized by the municipality itself on its own or together with one or more municipalities.

Who is in entitled to personal assistance? Personal assistance is granted for severely disabled residents by municipal social services. As a severely disabled person is considered one who due to long-term or progressing disability or illness, necessarily and repeatedly needs the assistance of another person in the following:

Activities of daily life Everyday activities, such as mobility, dressing up, caring for hygiene, clothing, food, cleaning, acquisition and processing of information and managing your personal affairs.

Work and education Work is work for wages, or in your own business (monetary compensation) Education means either studying towards a degree, or other studies that will strenghten vocational skills and employment prospects. Assistance can also be granted for homework.

Hobbies, social participation and social interaction Including for example sports, cultural activities, association activities, political participation, socializing (visiting friends and relatives).

The extent of personal assistance Personal assistance must be granted to the extent of what the person needs. The extent must be evaluated in such a way that the assistance enables a person to live with human dignity.

Services plan The services shall create for everyone the conditions to act and participate as a full member of society. Each client must have a service plan. This is a document drafted by social services in co- operation with the client The document directs the ways in which services are organized and delivered. The service plan shall include a description of individual life situation of the severely disabled person, and services necessary on ground of disability. Regarding personal assistance, the extent of the assistance, the amount (the number of hours), and the way of organizing it shall be included.

What is personal assistance? Personal assistance is a form of service under the Services and Assistance for the Disabled Act (1987). Assistance is provided by another person to a severely disabled person. Personal assistance is meant, either at home or outside home, for activities that one would do oneself, but is not able to because of disability or illness.