Eikholt report on user-controlled personal assistance (BPA) out now!
Senior advisor at Eikholt, Victoria Falen, has conducted a survey on how user-controlled personal assistance (BPA) works for people with deafblindness. Eikholt has now published a report that summarises the results of this survey.
What is User-controlled Personal Assistance (BPA)?
User-controlled Personal Assistance, hereafter referred to as BPA, is a service designed to give people with disabilities the opportunity to live
more independent lives. BPA gives applicants control over their own assistance by giving them the role of supervisor and allowing them to hire their own assistants to meet their assistance needs (NOU, 2021: 11, s.46).
The main goal of BPA is to ensure equality and participation in society for people with disabilities and high assistance needs. (Ministry of Health and Care Services, 2015, p.1).
Initiatives following expressed concerns
The initiative for the survey came from people who attended a course at Eikholt. They expressed a common concern about whether the BPA scheme was sufficiently accessible to people with combined sensory loss. Several felt that the municipalities lacked knowledge about their specific needs and that they faced challenges in the application process.
Several felt that the municipalities lacked knowledge about their specific needs and that they faced challenges in the application process.
Hentet fra rapporten
Results of the BPA survey
Bor oftere alene og har mer kunnskap
The results showed that those who have BPA more often live alone and have more knowledge of the scheme. Conversely, among those who did not have BPA, 33% stated that they did not know, or had too little knowledge of BPA. This suggests that efforts to provide good information to ensure equal access to the scheme are important.
Difficult to apply for BPA
In addition, it emerged that the application process was experienced as demanding. More than half of those who responded to the questionnaire had complained about the decision. Several respondents also felt that the municipality had little understanding of the needs of persons with deafblindness and asked few relevant questions in the survey. Half also said that they had received too few BPA hours in relation to their needs.
Several described BPA as vital and as a lifesaver.
Hentet fra rapporten
BPA is an important support in everyday life
Most of those who had BPA nevertheless expressed that the scheme was an important support in everyday life. It helps them to make their own choices to a greater extent and makes them less tired. Several described BPA as "vital" and as a "lifesaver", which emphasises how fundamental this service is for enabling an active and independent life among persons with deafblindness.
Need for more knowledge about BPA
The results indicated that people with deafblindness had positive experiences with the scheme. However, there is a need for a more predictable and fair practice in the case processing of BPA. Further research should look at the effect that BPA can have on quality of life, participation and independence over time.
Read the full report on BPA
To read and download the report in PDF or Word format: www.eikholt.no/kunnskapshvelvet/publikasjoner.
If you want the report sent in printed format: get in touch with us
Want to read more about BPA?
Spørreundersøkelsen ble også benyttet i Victoria Falen sin masteroppgave ved Universitetet i Sørøst-Norge.
You can find the master thesis in the National Knowledge Archive by going towww.nva.sikt.no and search for title: Brukerstyrt personlig assistanse (BPA) - A service for people with combined sensory loss/deafblindness?
Here you will also find the questionnaire that was used.
Do you have questions about the report and BPA for people with deafblindness?
Contact Victoria Falen, senior counsellor and social worker at Eikholt.
