Personal care assistance

The University of Akron does not provide services related to personal care assistance. It is the responsibility of the student or member to provide for the cost, coordination and monitoring/supervising of a personal care assistant (PCA).

Students and members are required to ensure that the appropriate amount of personal care is in place while using the Rec Center. Please note that it is inappropriate to ask SRWS staff to provide any level of personal care assistance related to any activity of daily living including. This includes but is not limited to toileting, showering, eating, sleeping, walking, dressing, grooming, transfer in and out of a wheelchair and personal hygiene.

Responsibilities and expectations

PCAs are eligible to access SRWS facilities in order to aid someone in their workout:

• The PCA will be required to sign a SRWS waiver and have their photo taken for a SRWS ID Card.
• PCAs can access SRWS facilities only when accompanying the individual needing assistance. A PCA should remain with the individual needing assistance, and can only assist the individual needing help.
• PCAs are not allowed to work out or use the facility for their own benefit without a membership and/or while assisting.
• Solicitation for PCAs is not permitted in SRWS facilities.

As a student or member utilizing personal care assistance, these are your responsibilities:

• Direct the activities of the personal care attendant(s) (PCA) while at UA.
• Have a back-up plan or alternative plan of action should the regular PCA(s) not be available to work with you on a particular day.
• Follow all applicable UA and SRWS policies and abide by the Office of Accessibility Student Handbook and the UA code of conduct.
• Pay for, coordinate and monitor/supervise all PCA services.
• Ensure that PCAs are aware of the PCA expectations in the Office of Accessibility Student Handbook (p.12).

A PCA is expected to:

• Follow all applicable UA and SRWS policies, rules, regulations and procedures.
• Allow the student to take responsibility for his/her own progress/behavior.
• Refrain from contact with or asking questions of faculty, staff or others on behalf of the student.
• Refrain from intervening in conversations between the student and faculty, staff or other students.
• Refrain from discussing any confidential information about the student with faculty, staff or students.

For students who have additional questions, contact the Office of Accessibility. Members may direct questions to srwc@uakron.edu.