These professionals are responsible for supporting and helping people who have difficulties or cannot carry out activities of daily living on their own because of their conditions or functional diversity. Their main mission is to promote the independent life project of the person they are serving, facilitating the exercise of self-determination, as an alternative to their institutionalisation and guaranteeing their rights as an equal citizen.

In particular, personal assistance is aimed at covering personal needs in any sphere of life, so these professionals can provide support in different areas (personal hygiene, food, mobility, social relations, family, education, training, work, citizen participation, leisure or others) that will be determined by the life project of the person assisted.

These professionals offer their services mainly to people with disabilities and their aim is to empower people beyond their limitations. Therefore, users are who decide when, how and in which activities of their life they will make use of these professionals' support. For this reason, they must offer a very flexible service, adapted to changing needs and which prioritises the freedom to decide, the independence and the ability to improvise of the person assisted.

Lastly, it should be noted that there are two modalities for accessing to personal assistance services through the Law on Promotion of Personal Autonomy and Care for Persons in a Situation of Dependency:

• Personal assistance of support in accompanying work, occupational and/or training activities outside the usual home.
• Personal assistance to support autonomous life and social and community integration, which refers to the activities that the person usually carries out, both inside and outside the home, that favour the development of an autonomous and independent life.

• Hygiene and personal care support: body hygiene, help with physiological needs and other tasks related to personal care (brushing teeth, brushing hair, shaving, removing hair or dressing).
• Health care: carrying out minor cures according to medical prescriptions except in those cases where it is necessary to hold a health qualification; administration of medication, etc.
• Help in food intake.
• Movements: helping to get up and into bed; walk and sit; make movements and postural changes, etc. In some cases, these professionals can use some technical aids (lifts, wheelchairs, shower chairs, etc.).

• Cleaning, order and maintenance of the home in good hygiene and health conditions.
• Washing of household items, washing and ironing of clothes and support in the use of household appliances.
• Elaboration and cooking of food.
• Support in the care of plants and/or animals.

• Accompanying in daily tasks and trips: going to work, to study, to medical visits, to the bank, etc.
• Support in daily shopping, both for food and other frequently used products.
• Accompanying in leisure and travel activities.
  

• Support in all those actions not listed above, which involve the development of the user's life project.

Regulated training and graduates

The regulation to access this occupation requires a socio-sanitary qualification, which can be obtained through any of the following training courses:

However, the regulation of this professional is in the process of being implemented and the lack of specific training in personal assistance and also the lack of qualified professionals to provide this service means that it is currently possible to work as an assistant without a specific degree and on a provisional basis.

• Professionalism Certificate: Public healthcare for people in social institutions (Level 2)
• Professionalism Certificate: Public healthcare for people in their homes (Level 2)

Complementary training

To be a personal assistant, it is advisable to take specific training that addresses aspects such as rights of people with disabilities, communication, technical assistance, basic care, etc. Once the relationship between this professional and the user has started, the person assisted will train the personal assistant and give him/her the necessary instructions on what to do and how, and when and where they want them to do it.

It should be noted that personal assistance is very heterogeneous, as well as the profile of the people served by this professional. Therefore, depending on the user and his/her characteristics, training of an instrumental nature may be convenient, such as:

• Communicative accessibility: easy reading, sign language, Braille, pictograms, etc.
• Mobilisation techniques for people with reduced mobility and use of technical assistance.
• Ergonomics.
• Prevention of occupational risks.
• First aid.

Other specific skills

Empathy: Level 3

Flexibility and change management: Level 2

Initiative: Level 1

Customer orientation: Level 2

Concern for order and quality: Level 2

Customer service

Direct and personal interaction with people and relating to the public are highly-motivating activities for individuals who have an interest in the field of customer service. A focus on people and on satisfying customers' needs is key in the occupations included in this field. These jobs entail the need to know suitable techniques for attending to the public and being able to give appropriate service that is tailored to their needs and expectations. Good examples are activities which offer assistance and guidance during functions, trips or at facilities, and those which provide advice in relation to products and services.

Social community worker

Individuals related to the social/community field have an interest in working to improve people's social well-being and quality of life, as well as enhance their integration into their social, family and/or work environment. The professional activities that are common in this field include providing special support and aid to people at risk of social exclusion, designing programmes and implementing resources for the social and cultural stimulation of an area, and acting as mediators for conflict resolution in family, social or interpersonal environments. These activities involve constant interaction with people in order to improve their psychological and social well-being.

Geriatric nursing assistant

Household worker

Bellboys

Waiter / Waitress

Barista

• Work hours

  Flexible, depending on the user's need for support. Partial shifts are frequent, in morning or afternoon shifts.

• Salary

  The hours contracted by the beneficiary have a reference cost of 18 euros per hour.

• Other features

  Despite the fact that this occupation is contemplated in the Law 39/2006 on Promotion of Personal Autonomy and Care for Persons in a Situation of Dependency, it is underused and in the process of being officially regulated. In this sense, in the future, having a social and health education or qualification will be compulsory to work as a personal assistant, just like the other occupations covered by the law mentioned above.
  It is also expected that the deployment of this occupation will be done gradually, starting in 2020 with people aged between 6 and 64 years old with physical disabilities and deafblindness.

• Professional category

  Non-specialist staff

They are often self-employed, especially those professionals who have their own clientele.