Personal Assistant Referral Program
Working with a Personal Assistant
What is the role of a Personal Assistant?
- A Personal Assistant (PA) is a paid employee who assists a person with a disability in order to accomplish daily tasks. This can include: dressing, grooming and hygiene, mobility and transfers, toileting, housekeeping and miscellaneous tasks. Personal Assistants not only assist people with physical disabilities, but with other types of disabilities as well.
- It is recommended to have more than one PA at a time. For example, if you need PAs at different times of the day, hiring more than one assistant can help prevent "burn-out." It is also useful in an emergency when one of your assistants is unable to work.
What Qualities Should You Look for in a Personal Assistant?
Before you begin the process of finding a PA it is important to recognize your own preferences.
- Do you prefer male or female assistants, or is there no preference?
- Are you looking for an assistant who is around a certain age?
- Do you prefer an assistant with prior experience as an assistant?
It may be useful to make a list of the qualities you would look for in a personal assistant.
What are Some Ways of Finding a Personal Assistant?
Decide what you need.
Before you begin looking for a PA, you need to first figure out how much assistance you need and how you want to structure it. Here are a few questions to answer before you begin your search:
- What do you want the PA to do, and how many hours per day/week do you need him/her?
- How many PA's do you need (including alternatives)?
- How do you want to structure your support schedule?
Getting the Word out.
- Advertise in newspapers or bulletins
- Recruit through colleges and schools at the university that are geared toward helping careers (ex. School of Nursing, School of Allied Health)
- Advertise on bulletin boards in the student union, library or other high traffic areas of campus.
Newspaper ads must be kept concise and should include duties, hours per week, wage, gender preference and whether or not experience is required. Also leave contact information, which should include your first name only. Recommend that interested students contact the CSD and reference your name and ad for more information.
Bulletin Boards allow you to write a more detailed description of your position. You might want to add information on location (on or off campus), specific days/hours, perks of job (ex. travel, free room and board, etc.)
View an example of an advertisement for a PA: Sample Advertisement 
How to Interview a Personal Assistant
Telephone Interview
- Tell them the days/hours you need help.
- Discuss various duties of the job - be as thorough as possible.
- Be specific regarding hourly rate. (ex. If you require assistance for 15 minutes, let the individual know they will be paid for a 30 minute period).
- Once given basic job description, ask the caller if he/she is interested in the job. If so, continue by asking them some questions. (ex. Are you working now? Do you have a car? Would you be looking for full-time employment with me? Have you had any previous experience?)
* Always get the name, address and phone number of those who will be coming to meet with you.
Personal Interview
- Choose a neutral location to meet, such as a coffee shop or the Center for Students with Disabilities.
- Have an application ready for them to fill out.
- If there is any special equipment that the assistant will need to use, have it present for demonstration.
- Describe your disability and exactly what the job involves.
- Explain how your daily routine goes and amount of time needed to complete it.
- Let them be aware of your expectations and listen to theirs.
- Discuss time sheets and other payment information (ex. Wage, how often assistant gets paid). You may want to have some sample time sheets with you. The following link shows you a sample time sheet: Sample PA Time Sheet
- It may be beneficial to get two or more personal references. Requests for reference forms are available by clicking the following link: Request for Reference Form
General Tips and Guidelines for Hiring a Successful Personal Assistant
- Make a list of services you require and approximately how long each task takes. Present this list at the initial meeting to make your PA's aware of his/her duties and the time commitment required.
- Be ready and willing to train and guide your PA's so that you can ensure your satisfaction in his/her performance.
- It is recommended you hire as many PA's as you can. Make certain these PA's have each others contact information.
- Be up front with your PA's about your expectations (ex. arriving on time, calling if they are going to be late, etc.).
- Make a master calendar with the PA's initials marked on the days they come.
- Always make sure you have enough supplies.
- Keep a list of PA's contact information by your bedside or easily accessible in the event of an emergency.
- Make sure your PA's are clear on what his/her duties are and try not to stray from these tasks.
- Divide the tasks evenly among your PA's - do not unfairly distribute the work load.
- Have your PA's keep track of their hours on a daily basis and initial each entry.
- Remember that it takes time for your PA's to get comfortable with your routine, so be patient with them.
- If something is bothering you, talk about it right away in a calm, appropriate manner.
- If you require additional assistance or information regarding your PA's, please contact the Center for Students with Disabilities.
|
Available Forms for Download
- Personal Assistant Agreement
Use this form to set up an agreement with your PA about the work schedule, salary amount and frequency.
- Personal Assistant Daily Tasks
Use this form to detail the specific tasks requiring the PA's assistance and the estimated time needed to complete them.
- Example Advertisement for Personal Assistants
This is a sample advertisement for finding personal assistants.
- Personal Assistant List
No matter how dependable your PA's are, there may be times when they are unable to work. You can prepare ahead of time by developing a PA list. Use this sheet for the names, numbers and email addresses of your PA's. You may want to keep this by your bedside for easier access and provide a copy to each of your PA's.
- Personal Assistant Interview Form
This form lists some common questions that could be asked when interviewing a possible PA.
- Request for Reference Form
Use this form to request additional information regarding a PA's work performance, dependability, character, and recommendations from other employers.
- Personal Assistant Recommendation
Please use this form to write a recommendation for your PA and return it to the Center for Students with Disabilities at the end of the semester.
- Personal Assistant Time Sheet
This sheet can be used as a way to keep track of a PA's hours worked.
|
