"We’re in a crisis’: PCA shortage is a matter of life and death for people with disabilities

Dennis Heaphy, lead researcher at the Disability Policy Consortium, lives in Back Bay and has used personal care attendants (PCAs) ​since the mid-1980s. Heaphy said the program allows him to live a meaningful life with opportunities he might not otherwise have. But he has dealt with gaps in his coverage more and more frequently in recent months. Without PCAs, his quality of life suffers. “I've gone without dinners. I've had to stay in bed,” he said. “This is really an equity issue. The state should be reducing barriers to people getting employment, rather than creating barriers.” Read the full article.