Stacey Hits the Trails with a New E-Trike and Finds Stability at Home with PCA Choice and CDCS

Diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS) in her teenage years, Stacey has navigated the challenges of life with MS for more than three decades. MS is an unpredictable disease of the central nervous system that disrupts the flow of the information between the brain and the body.

To manage the evolving needs of her condition, she has counted on Personal Care Assistant (PCA) services to help with laundry, cleaning, preparing meals, running errands, writing and other household chores.

But she did not always have a reliable caregiver by her side.

“I must have gone through at least half a dozen, if not more, other PCA agencies before I came across Accra,” Stacey said. “I have been working with Accra since August 2020, and it’s really been the best thing for me.”

Turning to Accra

Through Accra’s PCA Choice program and Consumer Directed Community Services (CDCS), Stacey finally got the opportunity to self-direct her own services. She determines how her category waiver funds are used, and more importantly, hires her own staff.

Stacey and her husband have one daughter, who is currently attending college, and two sons in their teenage years. And now her loved ones can be PCAs, helping Stacey live independently at home.

“The whole process of hiring has been much simpler with Accra because with the other five or six companies that I worked with before, we had to like literally jump through hoops to go through their hiring process,” Stacey said.

“And what I really like about Accra now is I can figure out exactly where I am on my budget. I can know exactly where I stand in terms of how much funds are used for each worker that I have. It’s really convenient for me not to have to literally sign off, pen on paper, for their timecards either. I can just do it online on my phone.”

Settling Into A Routine

With the operational side of her services streamlined and dependable caregivers hired, Stacey has less stress and more flexibility.

She goes to physical therapy twice a week and to the chiropractor weekly, helping her minimize the progressive symptoms of MS, and she has more time to do the things she enjoys, like reading and writing.

The continuity at home also helped Stacey refocus on her career. She has a master’s degree in social work and serves as a breastfeeding counselor for the Hennepin County Women, Infants and Children (WIC) program. She now works about 12 hours per week from home.

“Because of Accra’s work through the PCA services, I’m not as stressed out from work,” Stacey said. “I know that our place is going to be kept up to the standards that I prefer that they are. I won’t be tripping over stuff all over the floor. I can go into the closet, and I can expect to find clothes.”

Taking to the Trails With New Wheels

This fall, Stacey acquired another game changing tool to help her live a healthy life in her community. With funds from her personal CDCS budget, she purchased an electric trike.

For people with MS, traditional bike riding is typically difficult or impossible due to reduced strength, coordination and balance. The E-trike allows Stacey to safely exercise outdoors.

“You know, it’s something that I’ve thought about for over a year,” Stacey said. “I have a stationary bike that I use… But I like being outside too, especially in the cooler temperatures and in the fall and the spring. That wasn’t a possibility before. So, I’m really glad that I have that, and it’s now so simple just to be out in the community exercising.”

While Minnesota’s icy winter weather will keep the E-trike inside for several months, Stacey and her family hit the trails as soon as they could last fall.

“When I got the trike, we had like one last nice day. We were out there right away with it. And I think I rode like five miles, which was huge!” Stacey exclaimed. “My husband is big into biking. My son likes to bike. So, it’s just going to be an all-around good thing for us.”

Now, the family can continue on their journey together, confident that Stacey is living her best life each and every day.

“I think that Accra has definitely improved the quality of my life. It’s helped me reduce stress over just basic day to day things and expectations that I have for myself,” Stacey added. “I try to be a very grateful person. I try to be as positive as I can. And of course, that helps manage the day-to-day hardships of life with a progressive disease. It’s a good life.”