Beginning as a demonstration project to prove greater independence for people with disabilities can be achieved by receiving assistance in the home, the Attendant Care Program was signed into law in 1986. Through CRI, there are currently more than 400 highly qualified, trained personal care attendants employed by over 405 people with physical disabilities.

Quite possibly the most essential of independent living services, attendant care helps a consumer with the performance of daily living tasks in the consumer's home. A few examples of the basic services provided by the personal care attendants include:

• meal preparation
• bathing
• laundry
• houskeeping

Through attendant care services, consumers can and do find that they can again participate in social, recreational, educational and vocational activities, simultaneously eliminating former dependence on family members and friends.

In the provision of personal care, CRI believes that the person with a disability is most knowledgeable about his or her own needs. The Attendant Care Program is designed to assure that the consumer achieves and maintains independence. The consumer hires, trains, manages, pays and, if necessary, dismisses the personal care attendant. Training and/or assistance is available in any area of attendant care management the consumer requests.

The Attendant Care Program provides services to people with disabilities in 28 counties in the northwestern and north central Pennsylvania area.

Attendant Care Training Manuals:

These manuals were developed by CRI and a statewide advisory council with funds provided by the Pennsylvania Developmental Disabilities Council. (Visit their web site at: http://www.paddc.org)

(The manuals were designed to be copied on BOTH sides of the paper. Some pages are blank so that new topic areas begin on the left side of the page.)

Download - Attendant Care Consumer Training Manual (text format)

Download - Attendant Care Consumer Training Manual*
Download - Manual de Entrenamiento al Usuario de Atencion Personal (in Spanish)*
Download - Personal Care Attendant Training Manual*
*Adobe Acrobat Reader is required to view the document