Greece's Personal Assistant Program Boosts Lives of Disabled Citizens

A nationwide quantitative and qualitative study by the Disability Issues Observatory of the Solidarity and Anti-Poverty Agency (ESA) presented on 23 June showed that beneficiaries of Greece's Personal Assistant programme experience a marked improvement in quality of life, greater independence and increased social participation. Recipients and their families describe strong feelings of relief and joy, noting that the service supports daily living and participation in all areas of society.

The research also identified critical challenges: a shortage of Personal Assistants, low hourly wages, the precarious "ergosimos" employment status and ambiguous duty definitions hinder the programme's sustainability. Participants called for a robust supervisory and support framework, and officials highlighted plans to shift the allocation method from a lottery to a means‑tested system based on income and social criteria to expand the scheme.

General Secretary Konstantinos Megaritis emphasized that the programme is a "crucial contribution to securing the rights of persons with disabilities" and stressed the need for continued development into a permanent institutional tool for independent living.