Skip Navigation
Part of the Easterseals National Network
Find Your Easterseals
Search
Easterseals Delaware & Maryland's Eastern Shore Easterseals Delaware & Maryland's Eastern Shore
young man with a disability and his mother hugging

A Program for Every Stage of Spencer’s Life – And Yours!

The Kane family are grateful that Easterseals has services that meet the needs of every stage in life. From Children’s Therapy Services to Personal Attendant Services and everything in between, Easterseals is there for them.

Spencer

Easterseals was there for Spencer when he was born prematurely and needed help meeting his early milestones. They were there again when he needed physical therapy after his surgery as a teenager. When he graduated from high school, Easterseals stepped in once again to guarantee Spencer’s needs were met with Personal Attendant Services (PAS). Easterseals is there for a lifetime and the Kane family is forever grateful.

“Easterseals has so many programs. There is more to Easterseals than meets the eye. Everyone at Easterseals is kind and supportive,” Sarah, Spencer’s mom, says. “PAS is a godsend. It’s great to have a break so we can breathe.”

The PAS program allows people with disabilities to choose and hire their own personal attendant and perform duties based on individual needs. Specific examples may include help with bathing, dressing, meal preparation, and other duties that help the individual maintain an independent lifestyle. While the person with the disability is the employer, Easterseals staff helps with the selection, hiring and training of the attendant and assist with onboarding and payroll.

young man with a disability getting ready to eat with caregiver

Typically, Spencer, who has Cerebral Palsy, has a caregiver that takes care of his needs in the afternoons so Sarah can go to doctor appointments, go grocery shopping and other errands. However, the caregiver shortage has made it more challenging to find someone to fill this role. Currently, Sarah is getting paid to care for Spencer full time, which is a huge benefit to their family.

“Financially it would be difficult. Although I consider myself lucky to be able to care for him thanks to the PAS program, not being able to find help is hard,” says Sarah. 

When Spencer was born doctors discovered he had experienced something akin to an adult stroke during or shortly after birth. They predicted he would never walk, talk or feed himself. Spencer proved them wrong, however, and made great progress with the help of Easterseals Children’s Therapies Services which included Occupational, Speech and Physical therapies along with Early Childhood Education services.

“Everything about the kid is a miracle. I was given Spencer. He is a blessing to me,” Sarah says. “They say they are kids with special needs and they are special. There’s no other kid like him in the world. He’s so special and it doesn’t have anything to do with his disability.”

A mother holds her child who has a disability

Personal Attendant Services (PAS) is a godsend. It’s great to have a break so we can breathe.

— Sarah, Spencer's mother
Two women are speaking to each other. One woman is in a wheel chair and the other woman is kneeling beside her.

Learn More about Self-Directed Care

Easterseals Self-Directed Care programs give individuals and families the flexibility to choose and manage their own caregivers while receiving support services that promote independence, personal choice, and care at home or in the community.

More Like This

See All
  • A canoe with two counselors and two children float on the water near a dock.

    For Noah, camp changed everything.

    Noah, a nonverbal 16-year-old who previously lacked stable support, was able to experience care, safety, and simple joys at Camp Fairlee thanks to a scholarship, highlighting how donor support, now doubled by a matching gift, can make life-changing camp experiences accessible to more children with disabilities.
  • An occupational therapist observes as a child plays with blocks on a table

    Defying the Odds with Penny

    Penny’s mom thought walking was only a dream, but thanks to Easterseals, that dream became a reality for this bright shining star who is now also running and jumping.
  • A boy with epilepsy and autism and a tracheostomy smiles from an accessible bike with a therapist by his side

    Martin Finds Services for a Lifetime

    Martin’s family knows they can rely on Easterseals services for a lifetime to help him meet his milestones, regain skills, and look forward to a bright future.
  • Young adult male with a disability playing bingo

    Stevie Soars with Easterseals

    Stevie has been bringing smiles to the faces of staff and fellow participants at his Easterseals Adult Day program in Georgetown since 2007. The program not only gives him the opportunity to socialize with his peers and remain a part of his community but also gives his parents a much-needed break from full-time caregiving.