In our state is not funded through the CIL's, but rather from the Department Of Disability And The Aging. I get this twofold as I am receiving PCA's for myself so today we just happened to do the yearly application (as I am not eligible for Medicaid it is even more complicated because I am grandfathered in from 19 years ago so that was an extra seven pages) and I had to sign 19 pages! That is up from 12 last year. Because I am a caregiver myself I have to also fill out two lengthy applications for my two guys that live with me. That is up to 24 pages. So it is not your CIL, but government bureaucracy. Maybe it is time to get involved with your CIL and see if it cannot be improved. Our CIL is always looking for volunteers and we can do so much to help others I feel the CIL is a very worthy organization to support. Joan
-----Original Message----- From: Dan [mailto:d...@unh.edu] Sent: Wednesday, May 02, 2012 2:15 PM To: quad-list@eskimo.com Subject: [QUAD-L] Independent living? How many of you hirer PCAs? My state used to have an excellent independent living center. It was one of the first in the nation. Sadly, over the years it has deteriorated into what I call a non-Independent living Center. When I first started, I made the rules. I decided how many hours of help, I needed per day. Once the dollars were approved by the state. I was on my own. Now, the bureaucrats have taken over. What used to be a one-page sign up for a new PCA has now turned into 15! They have to have background checks, medical checks, references, a waiting time. The timesheets that I use to fill out were very simple -- Jill Smith worked 20 hours this week. Jill signs - I sign. Now we have to follow -- at least we're supposed to -- a voluminous book full of rules and regulations. Everything from what you can and cannot wear to the proper body mechanics of lifting to Mandatory meetings, to Defensive driving, etc. etc. How can they call themselves an independent living center? There is nothing independent about this. Has any of this happened to your independent living center? Dan
