Last Updated February 1, 2024
What is a Personal Care Profile?
A Personal Care Profile is a summary of a person's social interests, cultural beliefs, and other personal information that caregivers can use to improve the person's quality of life. You can give this document to a caregiver if you become ill, lose your mental capacity, or as you enter your senior years.
LawDepot's Personal Care Profile provides caregivers (also known as personal care assistants) with the information they need to perform their main responsibilities and duties to the best of their abilities. For instance, many personal care assistants help people with:
- Medication (e.g., picking up prescriptions and ensuring medicine is taken properly)
- Personal hygiene (e.g., bathing, getting dressed, etc.)
- Meal preparation and grocery shopping
- Household tasks (e.g., doing laundry, cleaning, etc.)
- Administrative tasks (e.g., paying bills)
- Activities and entertainment
- Companionship
It's important to note that a personal care assistant's tasks may vary depending on who they are helping and the level of their dependence (e.g., if they are terminally ill, or mentally or physically disabled). As such, a Personal Care Profile can jumpstart the relationship between you and your caregiver by informing them of your personal preferences in regards to the responsibilities listed above.
Who can use a Personal Care Profile?
Anyone who is preparing to transition away from an independent lifestyle can use a Personal Care Profile to help guide the interactions between them and the people responsible for their care.
For instance, you can use a Personal Care Profile if you're moving to a retirement home or assisted living centre and would like to give the staff an idea of your personality and preferences. With this information, the staff can ensure they interact with you in a way you're comfortable with (e.g. if you are sensitive to sound and prefer to avoid activities with loud music or noise).
Alternately, if you're hiring a personal care assistant to help you at home, you can give them this document so they're aware of your physical limitations (e.g. if you have an old injury or are dealing with a chronic condition such as arthritis) and can provide extra assistance when needed.
The information in a Personal Care Profile can also guide you if you're searching for a caregiver or a senior care facility for a family member. For instance, if the document lists preferred activities such as going for walks or gardening, you can search for a home with amenities that accommodate those interests (e.g. a home with community walking paths and raised garden beds).
What's the difference between a Personal Care Profile and a Living Will?
Although a Personal Care Profile and a Living Will are both documents in which you can communicate health care preferences, there are a few characteristics that distinguish them from one another:
- When properly executed, a Living Will is a legally binding document and health care providers are generally required to respect the instructions in it. In contrast, a Personal Care Profile is not legally binding or enforceable, but caregivers can use the document to guide interactions with their patient or client.
- A Living Will specifies your wishes regarding certain medical treatments (e.g. life support, blood transfusion, resuscitation, etc.) in situations where you're incapacitated and unable to communicate. A Personal Care Profile, however, only specifies your wishes regarding assisted living (e.g. personality traits, dietary restrictions, physical limitations, etc.) so caregivers can help you manage the tasks of daily life.
- LawDepot's Living Will can be combined with a Medical Power of Attorney, which allows you to appoint a representative with the authority to make health care decisions for you when a doctor determines you're incapable of doing so yourself. A Personal Care Profile cannot be used in this way.
What does a Personal Care Profile include?
LawDepot's Personal Care Profile includes information such as:
- Entertainment: Describe your hobbies and interests so your caregiver can find events or activities you're likely to enjoy.
- Beliefs: Describe your beliefs so your caregiver can find community activities (such as church services or charity events) that may resonate with you on a spiritual level. Your beliefs might also include dietary restrictions (e.g. vegetarian or vegan) that can help a caregiver during meal preparation and grocery shopping.
- Health: Describe your physical limitations so your caregiver knows when extra assistance is needed. You can also mention your fears or phobias so your caregiver can ensure you're in an environment that's comfortable for you (e.g. if you are afraid of heights and are moving to a senior housing complex, the staff might try to avoid placing you in a unit on the top floor).
- Miscellaneous: Describe any additional information that could help guide your caregiver's actions, such as how you prefer to be interacted with, any personal belongings that are important to you, or whether or not you're a veteran (so your caregiver can ensure you claim any benefits you may be entitled to).
