The Attendant Care program assists eligible adults to live independently in the community. Eligible adults are those who have a physical disability, are 18 to 59 years of age, and are mentally alert and able to manage their own services. Using state and federal funding, in addition to the consumer’s own resources, the Attendant Care Waiver and Act 150 programs helps consumers obtain assistance from attendants to perform activities of daily living.

Attendant Care services are designed to support independent living by assisting eligible consumers to live as independently as possible, remain in their own home and prevent unnecessary admission to nursing homes or other similar institutional settings, and to seek and/or maintain employment.

These services consist of BASIC, ANCILLARY, and HEALTH MAINTENANCE services provided by attendants in accordance with the consumer’s approved service plan.

Basic services consist of assistance with transfers from bed, wheelchair, and/or motor vehicle and assistance with routine bodily functions, including, but not limited to bathing and personal hygiene, dressing and grooming, eating (including meal preparation and clean up), and health maintenance activities.

Ancillary services are when a consumer needs one or more of the basic services; they may also receive homemaker-type services, companion-type services, or assistance with miscellaneous services such as errands, shopping, reading/writing and routine appointments.

Attendants may be asked to provide:

Health maintenance activities supports if requested by the consumer or if required by the consumer’s service plan. Health maintenance activities are necessary to maintain the health and normal bodily functions of the consumer. They include, but are not limited to the administration of medications reminders, enemas and suppositories support, catheter irrigation and wound care support. Attendants may perform health maintenance activities supports under all of the following conditions:

• The provider has assessed the consumer as being capable of directing and supervising the attendant in the specified health maintenance activities support.
• The attendant is trained and supervised in the prescribed activities by the consumer’s physician, a qualified health professional and/or the consumer.
• The attendant’s ability to carry out the activities safely has been documented by the provider agency.
• Disposable items or devices are used in performing the health maintenance activity support whenever they are available.
• The provider has ensured that the consumer has appropriate referral arrangements in place with qualified health professionals to respond to health emergencies.
• The attendant providing the health maintenance activities supports has read and understands the consumer’s service plan.

The Attendant Care Program is funded through the Department of Public Welfare’s Office of Long Term Living. Aging and Home and Community-Based Waiver Services may be available to Pennsylvanians over the age of 60 to enable them to continue to live in their homes and communities with support and services.