Adopting a Disability Approach to Home Care Services for Older Adults

The disability and aging communities differ significantly in their perceptions, definitions, and values about the independence and autonomy of disabled individuals. These viewpoints are reflected in the different services and goals of personal assistance provided to older and younger disabled persons. We explore the applicability of the disability approach to personal assistance for older persons and offer ethical, practice-oriented, and political arguments for the aging community to adopt this approach. We also review past efforts toward achieving a "unified agenda" between the aging and disability communities and outline possible future initiatives.