Personal Care Assistants

Personal Care 1 (PC1)

The Unit of Service is one (1) hour of direct services provided in the participant's residence for shopping, laundry services, other off-site services or escort services. The amount of time authorized does not include the aide's transportation time to and from the participant’s residence.
The number of units and services provided to each participant are determined by the individual participant's needs as set forth in the participant's Service Plan/Authorization.
Under no circumstances will a PC I furnish any type of skilled medical service.
Services to be provided include:
- Meal planning and preparation:
  1. Lite Cleaning
  2. Laundry
  3. Shopping
  4. Home safety
  5. Errands
  6. Escort services
- Limited assistance with financial matters, such as delivering payments to designated recipients on behalf of the participant. Receipts for payment should be returned to the participant.
- Assistance with communication which includes, but is not limited to, placing phone within participant’s reach and physically assisting participant with use of the phone, and orientation to daily events.
- Observing and reporting on participant’s condition.

Monitoring of the participant’s condition e.g., the type of monitoring that would be done by a family member such as monitoring temperature, checking pulse rate and observation of respiratory rate.
Monitoring medication (for example, informing the participant that it is time to take medication as prescribed by his, or her, physician and as written directions on the box, or bottle, indicate). The aide cannot administer the medicine; however, this does not preclude the aide from handing the medicine container to the participant.
Escort services when necessary. Transportation may be provided when necessary and included in the participant’s Service Plan/Authorization. The provision of transportation is optional and will depend on the provider’s policy in this regard.
Strength and balance training.

Socialization - Reading, conversation, assistance with mail and other interaction with participant as appropriate
Assistance with or supervision of meal/snack preparation
Assistance with or supervision of participant laundry (washing clothes and linens)
Assistance with or supervision of participant’s shopping
Incidental light housekeeping (dusting, sweeping or other light chores to maintain participant in a safe clean environment)
Sitting service focusing on the participant including supervision, orientation, making appropriate contact in case of emergency