Personal Care Assistant / Personal Care Attendant
Hear this word Personal Care Assistant / Personal Care Attendant
Also known as: Staff, home attendant, direct support, direct support professional, aide
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What Is It?
A personal care attendant is a person who helps someone live the life they want to live by supporting their daily life activities.
An Example
Phillip has a personal care attendant who helps Phillip with several day-to-day activities like getting ready to go to work and getting dressed for dates. Phillip made sure to hire a personal care attendant who understands the importance of consent, boundaries, and privacy. It is important that Phillip’s personal care attendant gives privacy when Phillip needs it, whether for toileting, bathing, dressing, or sexual activities. It is also important that the personal care attendant respects and supports Phillip’s values, decisions, and bodily autonomy.
What to Know
Every glossary word connects to different parts of the Sexuality Wheel. Explore the information below to learn more.
- If a personal care attendant goes to a healthcare appointment with the person they support, then the attendant should give privacy to the person they support throughout the appointment and/or when requested.
- The health care provider should communicates directly to the patient, not to the person’s personal care attendant.
- A personal care attendant should respect the boundaries and privacy of the person they support.
- A personal care attendant should check for consent when supporting the person, particularly with toileting, bathing, dressing, or helping their client to prepare before or clean up after sexual activities.
- Staff support the whole person, not just a person’s needs. People are more than their needs.
Think about
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What did you learn about personal care attendants?
To learn more, explore websites, books, and other resources in the Resource Hub or visit other parts of Your Sexual Health Toolkit like our online game, Our Stories, Our Journeys: A Sexual Health Game!
What questions do you have?
Write down or record an audio note with any questions you have to ask someone you trust. You may also find answers to your questions by using websites, books, and other resources in the Resource Hub.
