C&C States
Self-Direction Handbook
Data &Myra Turner
Ms. Myra Turner is a 45 year old woman living alone in an urban neighborhood in Arkansas. Ms. Turner was diagnosed with polio when she was seven months old. Since onset of the disease, she has experienced many related medical problems. Ms. Turner currently suffers post-polio syndrome and brittle bone syndrome. She has limited mobility and has worn leg braces for years to help her move around and prevent breaks. Diane, Myra's mother who has helped take care of Myra throughout her life, worries for the safety of her daughter, "I’m afraid she'll fall – there's no telling what she'll break"
Ms. Turner needs reliable and regular help with many daily activities such as cooking, bathing, laundry, and cleaning. Her previous experiences with a variety of agency workers in her home have been unsatisfactory, as she describes "they were getting paid for it {work} and not doing it." Ms. Turner describes the IndependentChoices Program as a much better arrangement than her previous experiences. Diane has become Myra's personal care worker, who enjoys the flexibility of her schedule and is satisfied to receive an adequate cash allowance for the care she provides. Diane believes it is important for the person in need to trust the caregiver, and she is happy to provide her daughter with the care that she deserves. While Ms. Turner believes "you have to do what you can to stay independent," she is also content that her mother is around five days a week to assist her rather than an unfamiliar worker. Ms. Turner is glad the cash allowance can pay for necessary hygiene items and other items that make it easier for her to get around.