As the Autonomy Coordination Manager who manages logistics and human assistance, I know that a poorly fitted wheelchair (FR) complicates the lives of our beneficiaries and our home helpers. The major reform set to take effect in December secures funding (via the PLV), but our mission is to ensure the FR is of optimal quality and personalized.
The Impact on Human Assistance and Vigilance Measures
The optimistic scenario relies on funding for FRs listed in the LPPR and perfectly adjusted, which facilitates daily life. For our home helpers, using ergonomic FRs (lightweight, well-adjusted) is synonymous with reduced physical strain and improved working conditions. I will facilitate the circulation of information on best practices and ergonomics.
The pessimistic scenario is the impact of the PLV on custom-fitting. If vital options are excluded from the PLV, it creates a need for complementary funding. I hold no clinical role, but my former PMR expertise allows me to facilitate the clinical argument used to justify the overrun to the AM and the FDCH. Home helpers are our eyes on the ground: they must report any difficulty with handling, seating, or transferring so that Social Workers can mobilize complementary funding (FDCH). We must collectively ensure that the PLV constraint does not degrade the working conditions of human assistance.