Personal Care Services I SuBon Home Care

Personal care services are support services designed to assist individuals with essential daily living tasks and enable them to maintain their independence and participate in community life. These services include help with Activities of Daily Living (ADLs) and Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADLs), as well as monitoring health and addressing basic medical needs.

ADLs are personal care tasks critical for daily living, such as:

• Bathing
• Dressing
• Toileting
• Transferring (e.g., moving from bed to wheelchair)
• Eating/feeding

A person’s ability to perform these tasks helps determine the appropriate level of care and services required.

IADLs are tasks necessary for independent living, including:

• Meal preparation
• Shopping
• Housekeeping
• Laundry

The degree of independence in performing these tasks is also used to identify service needs.

Agency-Directed services involve hands-on care provided by trained caregivers under professional supervision. These services include assistance with ADLs and may also cover:

• Access to the community.
• Monitoring self-administered medications or other medical needs.
• Supervision for safety and well-being.
• Monitoring health status and physical condition.

Services are typically capped at 40 hours per week for 52 weeks per year, with exceptions based on criteria from the Virginia Department of Medical Assistance Services (DMAS). Supportive services for IADLs may also be included if specified in the Plan of Care (POC).

Note: Skilled nursing services are not part of Agency-Directed personal care.

These services can be provided in a home or community setting to help individuals maintain the health and functional skills necessary for community living and participation in community activities. Personal care services can be offered alone or alongside other waiver services, such as respite care.

Individuals may choose to receive a combination of Consumer-Directed and Agency-Directed personal care services if they meet the criteria. However, the total number of authorized hours cannot exceed what would be approved under a single delivery model.

Explore Resources:

• DMAS Personal Care Services Information
• Virginia Medicaid Waivers Overview
• Introduction to Medicaid Waivers by The Arc of Virginia