![Persons with disabilities could get personal assistant to support independence](https://maltadaily.mt/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/disweb.jpg)
According to Agenzija Sapport CEO Oliver Scicluna, people with disabilities could very soon have a personal assistant appointed to them to support the cultivation of an independent life.
Differing from a home carer, the assistant’s recruitment and training would be directed by the person with disability or their guardian, in case of intellectual disabilities, to train them to the specific needs.
Scicluna said that the Support Agency is working on introducing the new concept and to move away from the current European Network on Independent Living system.
The current context sees the government allocating and paying for carers for eligible people with disabilities. Scicluna differentiated this from the personal assistant who will help them ‘reach their potential.’
Carers are also currently recruited from agencies which specialise in elderly care. Scicluna said that personal assistance would require the creation of a new job title so that the right people could be recruited through JobsPlus.
The persons with disabilities themselves would be involved in the recruitment and training process to create a person centred approach to the process.
#MaltaDaily