What is a PA and what do they do?
A PA (personal assistant) is someone who works with individuals with additional support needs to live independent and fulfilling lives.
Personal assistants are usually employed directly by a person who needs care and support, and who manages and pays for this through a direct payment or with their own money. This person is their employer (and can be referred to as an ‘individual employer’).
They can also be employed by a family member or representative, when the person they’re supporting doesn’t have the physical or mental capacity to be the employer, for example when supporting a child.
A personal assistant always works directly with the individual they’re supporting.
Being a personal assistant means being involved in many aspects of your employer’s life, and may include supporting in the home, at leisure or at work. PA’s The opportunity to focus directly on the needs of an individual, and the diversity of the role, is what often attracts people to this type of work.
The role of a personal assistant is extremely varied, this is because the individual employer can choose exactly how they want you to support them. It could involve:
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Supporting at their place of work or education
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Maintaining relationships with family and friends, including supporting them with childcare
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Meeting new people and developing new friendships
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Travelling around by providing transport, driving their car or using public transport
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Maintaining hobbies and interests
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Providing personal care (support to dress, wash and bathe)
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Supporting to communicate their wants and needs
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Carrying out household tasks like cooking, cleaning, meal preparation, shopping, organising paperwork, and, in some cases, pet care
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Going with them to their hospital and other appointments
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Supporting with health, diet and fitness e.g. supporting at a gym
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Developing a new skill or getting a job.
Some personal assistants may carry out, with adequate training, health care related tasks.
Not all personal assistants will be employed to carry out all of these tasks – it may be that your employer wants support with just one of these tasks. Quite often the role can be about companionship and having a shared interest in things like music, politics or sport.