By Guest Blogger Ruth Harrigan, Esq.
I jokingly tell friends that when I hire a personal care assistant, I’m hiring an arm and a leg. This is because I have quadriplegia, paralysis in all four limbs, as the result of a spinal cord injury. When I hire an assistant, I seek someone who can help me with everything from meal preparation and personal care to paperwork assistance relative to my own employment.
Having a good personal care assistant – someone who is reliable, caring and flexible – has a real impact on my quality of life. Finding someone like this involves a process that includes placing ads, sorting through applications, completing several interviews and making the best choice I can from among those who apply. Because my career as an attorney requires time and attention, I’ve learned how to streamline this process without losing sight of the fact that spending a little extra time during the hiring process can save me a lot of aggravation later on.
I begin the process by drafting an ad in which I list what the job pays per hour, which is higher on weekends, and work shifts I need to fill. I always emphasize how the applicant must have reliable transportation to get to the job and to run errands, and that a criminal background check and references are mandatory.
Describing what my assistant will be doing helps eliminate applicants who aren’t going to be flexible. For example, I‘ve received responses from people who will do meal preparation, but no light housekeeping. This helpful information helps me screen people out, because I need those who are willing to do both since I can’t do either. Your situation might be different. Perhaps you have a relative who can bring meals over or do the tasks a personal care assistant doesn’t want to do. Still, I strongly advise caution when hiring anyone who wants to do only certain tasks. Be sure to find out if that prospective aide is willing to set aside preferences during emergency situations.
After several decades of hiring personal care assistants, I’ve learned ways to assess whether a person will be flexible and responsible. I set up an initial phone call with qualified applicants I’ve chosen from the ad response and explain job duties in more detail. I ask about other jobs and responsibilities that would affect their availability, and if they have related experience working with someone with a disability. These questions often elicit answers that eliminate people. For example, if someone already has three other jobs and I know I’ll need occasional backup, it’s unlikely they’ll be available to meet that need. Applicants have rarely thought all this through and my questions help them do that.
After the initial phone interview, I call back at a random time to set up a personal interview rather than setting one up during our first conversation. I’ve discovered all kinds of things from doing it this way. Some people don’t check voice messages or respond for days, which tells me they aren’t as available as they claim. Once in a while someone will question why I expect them to do “another interview.” Of course, I never hire anyone who will not meet with me in person and neither should you!
By this time, I’m getting a feel for whether I’d be comfortable working with this person. Each personal care assistant I hire requires a different approach. Some need to be micromanaged, while others can work well from a written list. Every now and then, I’m fortunate enough to find someone who cannot only work independently, but also follow written and verbal instructions. These are important qualities for me, since I have to delegate tasks while I’m busy working.
Much of the interaction during our in-person interview reveals the applicant’s personality style. I ask for assistance to discover if he or she follows my directions or becomes frustrated at having to do it according to my preferences and needs. Does the person remain pleasant while assisting me? Inexperience is one thing, but an inability to complete a simple task with a pleasant way helps me decide whom to hire, or not.
All of this may sound overwhelming, but keep in mind that over time you’ll be better able to spot who will meet your needs. Even if you start with a pool of 40 applicants, which isn’t unusual, it will become easier to zone in on five people who are potential hires after going through this process more than once.
Set boundaries from day one. This means not only not being taken advantage of, but also not taking advantage of your assistant. For example, neither should borrow money from each other. Plan your care carefully so emergency calls for help outside their hours are rare. Be clear about how you like things done, but don’t be petty. Don’t be afraid to cut short personal conversations if you hire a chatty person who likes to talk more than work. After all, you’re paying the person to do a job. On the other hand, keep in mind that you’re an employer and if the person comes to you with a personal problem, you’ll need to address it if it affects their job performance.
A personal care assistant may be one of the most important resources available to you as someone with a disability. It may seem obvious, but treat your assistant as you’d like to be treated and then expect the same in return. Both your lives will be enriched if you cultivate an atmosphere of mutual respect from the very beginning.
Ruth Harrigan is an attorney with a B.A. from Rutgers College and a J.D. from Wayne State University. She is a member of the NJ Coalition for Inclusive Ministries and started her blog, Wheelie Catholic, to raise awareness of the need for inclusion of people with disabilities. Ruth also writes poems, essays and fiction about disability issues, which can be read on her other blog, A Different Light. Ruth enjoys skiing and was nationally ranked as a wheelchair tennis player.
As posted at Disability.gov:
http://usodep.blogs.govdelivery.com/2012/11/28/hiring-a-personal-care-assistant/
I jokingly tell friends that when I hire a personal care assistant, I’m hiring an arm and a leg. This is because I have quadriplegia, paralysis in all four limbs, as the result of a spinal cord injury. When I hire an assistant, I seek someone who can help me with everything from meal preparation and personal care to paperwork assistance relative to my own employment.
Having a good personal care assistant – someone who is reliable, caring and flexible – has a real impact on my quality of life. Finding someone like this involves a process that includes placing ads, sorting through applications, completing several interviews and making the best choice I can from among those who apply. Because my career as an attorney requires time and attention, I’ve learned how to streamline this process without losing sight of the fact that spending a little extra time during the hiring process can save me a lot of aggravation later on.
I begin the process by drafting an ad in which I list what the job pays per hour, which is higher on weekends, and work shifts I need to fill. I always emphasize how the applicant must have reliable transportation to get to the job and to run errands, and that a criminal background check and references are mandatory.
Describing what my assistant will be doing helps eliminate applicants who aren’t going to be flexible. For example, I‘ve received responses from people who will do meal preparation, but no light housekeeping. This helpful information helps me screen people out, because I need those who are willing to do both since I can’t do either. Your situation might be different. Perhaps you have a relative who can bring meals over or do the tasks a personal care assistant doesn’t want to do. Still, I strongly advise caution when hiring anyone who wants to do only certain tasks. Be sure to find out if that prospective aide is willing to set aside preferences during emergency situations.
After several decades of hiring personal care assistants, I’ve learned ways to assess whether a person will be flexible and responsible. I set up an initial phone call with qualified applicants I’ve chosen from the ad response and explain job duties in more detail. I ask about other jobs and responsibilities that would affect their availability, and if they have related experience working with someone with a disability. These questions often elicit answers that eliminate people. For example, if someone already has three other jobs and I know I’ll need occasional backup, it’s unlikely they’ll be available to meet that need. Applicants have rarely thought all this through and my questions help them do that.
After the initial phone interview, I call back at a random time to set up a personal interview rather than setting one up during our first conversation. I’ve discovered all kinds of things from doing it this way. Some people don’t check voice messages or respond for days, which tells me they aren’t as available as they claim. Once in a while someone will question why I expect them to do “another interview.” Of course, I never hire anyone who will not meet with me in person and neither should you!
By this time, I’m getting a feel for whether I’d be comfortable working with this person. Each personal care assistant I hire requires a different approach. Some need to be micromanaged, while others can work well from a written list. Every now and then, I’m fortunate enough to find someone who cannot only work independently, but also follow written and verbal instructions. These are important qualities for me, since I have to delegate tasks while I’m busy working.
Much of the interaction during our in-person interview reveals the applicant’s personality style. I ask for assistance to discover if he or she follows my directions or becomes frustrated at having to do it according to my preferences and needs. Does the person remain pleasant while assisting me? Inexperience is one thing, but an inability to complete a simple task with a pleasant way helps me decide whom to hire, or not.
All of this may sound overwhelming, but keep in mind that over time you’ll be better able to spot who will meet your needs. Even if you start with a pool of 40 applicants, which isn’t unusual, it will become easier to zone in on five people who are potential hires after going through this process more than once.
Set boundaries from day one. This means not only not being taken advantage of, but also not taking advantage of your assistant. For example, neither should borrow money from each other. Plan your care carefully so emergency calls for help outside their hours are rare. Be clear about how you like things done, but don’t be petty. Don’t be afraid to cut short personal conversations if you hire a chatty person who likes to talk more than work. After all, you’re paying the person to do a job. On the other hand, keep in mind that you’re an employer and if the person comes to you with a personal problem, you’ll need to address it if it affects their job performance.
A personal care assistant may be one of the most important resources available to you as someone with a disability. It may seem obvious, but treat your assistant as you’d like to be treated and then expect the same in return. Both your lives will be enriched if you cultivate an atmosphere of mutual respect from the very beginning.
Ruth Harrigan is an attorney with a B.A. from Rutgers College and a J.D. from Wayne State University. She is a member of the NJ Coalition for Inclusive Ministries and started her blog, Wheelie Catholic, to raise awareness of the need for inclusion of people with disabilities. Ruth also writes poems, essays and fiction about disability issues, which can be read on her other blog, A Different Light. Ruth enjoys skiing and was nationally ranked as a wheelchair tennis player.
As posted at Disability.gov:
http://usodep.blogs.govdelivery.com/2012/11/28/hiring-a-personal-care-assistant/
1 comment:
Ms Harrigan has done an excellent job of "explaining" a good and fair process for hiring a personal assistant. Her account should be of great value to others setting out on the adventure of independent living -- with assistance.
I hope it will be widely circulated.
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