Office of the Texas Governor, Greg Abbott
Governor’s Committee on People with Disabilities
COVID-19 Guidance for Adults with Disabilities on Managing Personal Care Attendants
NMD United volunteers have created a COVID-19 guide for adults living with neuromuscular disabilities (NMD). The guide aims to provide fact-based, reliable resources to educate the NMD community on how to reduce and prevent the spread of COVID-19. It also provides practical coping tools and life-management strategies that can be used for any viral or bacterial infection risk. While the guide is geared towards people with neuromuscular disabilities, the tools are accessible to anyone. This guide does not replace medical direction by a qualified doctor or clinical professional; rather, it aims to provide simple coping and life-management tips for people with neuromuscular disabilities. Some of the most helpful tips are included below.
https://www.nmdunited.org/covid-19-guide
Assertive Communication with Personal Care Attendants (PCAs)
Communicating needs and anxieties can be difficult, particularly in high-stress times. The NMD United guide lays out several different scenarios that could or may have already come up, as well as a letter individuals can send to their PCA team delineating their emergency plan.
Different Scenarios: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1XijlvgjO7ntCLohevgOuVrB5II4sgws4elFeRJZvJ4k/edit#heading=h.uazlpurljbk
Managing PCAs during COVID-19
Graphic describing ways in which you can manage your PCAs: make sure they wear gloves whenever they are helping you, clean frequently touched objects and surfaces often, stock up on alcohol-based hand sanitizers, ask your PCAs to wear a mask if possible, and ask your PCAs to wash their hands for at least 20 seconds throughout the day
Assertive communication will help keep individuals with disabilities and their personal care attendants safe and healthy. The NMD guide also includes useful checklists to help prepare for two weeks of quarantine, activities for managing anxiety, and links to information from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html
COVID-19 Plan and Prep Guide
https://www.nmdunited.org/covid-19-guide
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