Mentors, Home Care Providers and Their Roles Posted on June 29, 2017

The roles of mentor and home care provider are similar in one way (they provide support to IHSS consumers), but they are basically separate and distinct.

Home care providers assist their IHSS consumers in a service capacity; that is, they are informed of the service needs of their consumers when they are hired and trained by their consumers to carry out those duties. Quite simply, consumers are assessed as requiring support in specific Activities of Daily Living (ADLs), and a provider fulfills those needs, allowing the consumer to stay in their home and community.

Mentors, on the other hand, are available to a consumer for counseling and guidance. Mentors from the Public Authority’s Mentorship Program partner with consumers who want support with hiring, training and supervising home care providers from the Public Authority’s Registry. Mentors are trained to provide information and work to build confidence in their consumers so they can eventually take charge of their own home care. They contribute advice and offer feedback—as well as a lot of practical information for dealing with day-to-day activities. The Mentorship Program advises over 30 consumers each month.

How You Can Help: Are you skilled in teaching, supporting and encouraging others, especially those who need someone who knows how to remain independent in their community of choice? If so, please consider becoming a mentor. Find out more by calling the PA’s Mentorship Program at 415-593-8136.

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