Respite Care

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Respite Care

Clackamas County Lifespan Respite Care is a community-based program that helps families and caregivers seeking temporary relief from the demands of providing ongoing care for a person with special needs regardless of race, age, disability or income. The program works to ensure access to respite care services. It strives to increase respite resources, improve the quality of services, and increase public awareness and community involvement in respite care. The program provides ongoing support to families caring for a special needs member.

Caring For The Caregiver

History of the Lifespan Respite Care Program: In 1997 Oregon Legislator passed House Bill 2013 to assist counties in development of community based lifespan respite care networks to serve all families regardless of age, income, race, special need of situation. In the past 4 years, Clackamas County Respite has served approximately 1,000 family caregivers.

WHAT IS RESPITE CARE?

Respite Care is temporary, short-term care for an individual with special needs, such as:

Developmental and physical disabilities
Mental illness
Emotional and behavioral disorders
Chronic illnesses
Alzheimer’s disease
Medical Fragility
Those at risk for abuse and neglect

Goals and Suggestions for Respite Care

Ask for help
Join a support group
Enlist help from family and friends
Don’t wait for a crisis. Ask for help before you need it, so you will be used to asking for help before a crisis occurs
Learn about the disease of the person you are caring for
Avoid isolation
Pursue a hobby or take a class
Find a safe person to talk with about your feelings- a professional, clergy, counselor, trusted friend
Use the resource numbers listed on this page
Take care of your needs
Eat right, exercise and get plenty of rest
Take time for yourself
Express your feelings
Recognize that feelings of frustration, sadness, anger and depression are normal under the circumstances
Treat yourself
Schedule a massage
Watch a sunset
Take a hot bath

Respite provides families and caregivers the relief they need to stay healthy.

WHO QUALIFIES FOR RESPITE CARE FUNDING?

According to the National Family Caregiver Support Program:

The care receiver has to be over the age of 60, the caregiver needs to be an adult family caregiver or other informal caregiver providing care
A grandparent over the age of 60 caring for a grandchild under the age of 18
For families with special needs children, there is a waiting list for funding availability.

Who Qualifies For Respite Care Services?
Any family caregiver caring for someone across the lifespan —from cradle to grave.
Respite care funding determination is not based upon income or proof of diagnosis. For those families with special needs children funding fluctuates throughout the year. There is currently a waiting list for these families waiting to receive funding for respite care. These funds fluctuate and are not stable. Although there might not be funds available families are still urged to call and talk with the Coordinator and place their names on the waiting list. There might be resources and referrals the family might not be aware of that the Coordinator can assist them with by having them call 503-650-5724.

NATIONAL FAMILY CAREGIVER SUPPORT PROGRAM:
The care receiver must be caring for someone age 60 or over, and be an adult family caregiver or other informal caregiver who is not getting paid to provide care for this particular family member with special needs.
Or
The caregiver is a grandparent caring for a grandchild under the age of 18 and be age 60 or older.

CONTACT:
Mary Ann Hard
Lifespan Respite Coordinator
503-650-5724
PO Box 2950
Oregon City , OR 97045-0295
MaryHar@co.clackamas.or.us

CLACKAMAS COUNTY LIFESPAN RESPITE CARE NETWORK AND FAMILY CAREGIVER SUPPORT PROGRAM ASSISTS IN LOCATING PROVIDERS
Through community partnerships Clackamas County Lifespan and the Family Caregiver Support Program is able to assist family caregivers in finding respite care providers who have been screened, assessed and carefully matched to meet the needs of the family needing respite care. These community partnerships are with well respected community non-profits and businesses who fully grasp the concept of respite and how critical it is for the caregiver to feel comfortable leaving their loved one in well-cared and trained hands.
All these providers have received back-ground checks, have been screened and the agencies have gone to the home and conducted an assessment to ensure the best match is made for both the provider and family.

VOLUNTEER AS A RESPITE CARE PROVIDER

Clackamas County Lifespan Respite Care Network is currently establishing a volunteer program. Volunteers will be trained to provide respite care to families caring for a loved one, so that the caregivers can take a break, come back to their role refreshed, and rejuvenated. Volunteers are needed to work with children and adults with various special needs. Volunteer training will be mandatory for anyone wishing to participate in this program. Please volunteer your gifts and time by providing a key role in a family ’s life. Call Mary Ann at 503-650-5724 for more information.

Next mailing will go out May of 2007. If you would like to be on the mailing list please let Mary Ann know. Or if you have an idea for the mailing packet please let Mary Ann know.

CAREGIVER MENTOR PROGRAM

CCLRCN is currently developing a Caregiver Mentor Program for family caregivers. Family caregivers are often isolated, depressed, frustrated and feel as if no one understands their current situation. The Mentor Program will match an understanding and experienced former caregiver with a current caregiver needing support. Volunteer training would be mandatory for anyone wishing to participate in this program. If you are interested in being a mentor or mentee, please call Mary Ann at 503-650-5724.

HOME VISITS AND HELP INTERVIEWING CARE PROVIDERS

CCLRCN offers home visits to family caregivers to provide support, and assistance with interviewing potential respite care providers and to explain the Respite Care Program.

TRAINING AND SCHEDULE OF CLASSES

Powerful Tools for Caregivers is a six-week course designed to assist caregivers in taking care of themselves. This course is offered at no cost to participants. If you would like to have a class offered in your area please let Mary Ann know by calling 503-650-5724.
Also, if you are interested in other Powerful Tools for Caregiving classes offered throughout the tri-county area please call Mary Ann at 503-650-5724 or Legacy Caregiver Services at 503-413-7706.

Family Conference on Cerebral Palsy, November 2 & 3, 2007; Red Lion-Jantzen Beach, Portland OR Click here for printable flyer

Family caregivers face physical and emotional challenges Local events will provide information, support

More than 26 million people are caregivers who provide unpaid help to older adults. These caregiver spouses, adult children, relatives, and mends provide help with shopping, transportation, and household chores as well as bathing, dressing, preparing meals, and dispensing medications.

According to a 2003 report to Congress from the Department of Health and Human Services and Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation, "The future supply of long-term care workers in relation to the aging baby boom generation, " unpaid family caregivers wi1llikely continue to be the largest source of long-term care services in the U.S. and are estimated to reach 37 million caregivers by 2050, an increase of 85% from 2000. Collectively it is believed that these individuals contribute an estimated $257 billion annually to the nation's health care system - an amount that significantly reduces costs to Medicare, Medicaid, and private insurance. In Oregon, 359,470 caregivers provide 385 million hours of care, valued at $3.8 billion dollars.

Caregivers often experience substantial stresses and are at greater risk for health problems than the noncaregiver population. Studies have shown that prolonged caregiving adversely affects one's physical or psychological health, current and future earning capability, and the ability to meet personal needs. A National Caregiving Alliance and AARP study found forty-nine percent of caregivers reported depression, and 50 percent reported that the stress affected their own health.

A coalition of organizations, including AARP, Clackamas, Multnomah, and Washington Counties, and Oregon Department of Human Services, is promoting the following events in support of caregivers during November, Family Caregiver month:

Grief and the Holidays - Guidelines to help plan for special occasions

Resources

Clackamas County Social Services I & R, 503-655-8861

Nationwide, 24-hour staffed information and referral line dial: 211

Alzheimer’s Support Line, 503-413-7115

Suicide Hotline, 800-784-2433

Autism Support Line, 503-234-5628

United Cerebral Palsy, 503-777-4166

Aging and Disability Services, 503-655-8640

November 5, 2007	Sandy Support Group Molalla Caregiver Support Group
November 13, 2007	Powerful Tools for Caregivers Class for Parents with Special Needs Children - Estacada
November 16, 2007	Compassion Fatigue Training for the Social Services Provider
November 21, 2007	Sandy Support Group Breakfast Group

Respite Care

VOLUNTEER AS A RESPITE CARE PROVIDER

NEWSLETTER

CAREGIVER MENTOR PROGRAM

HOME VISITS AND HELP INTERVIEWING CARE PROVIDERS

TRAINING AND SCHEDULE OF CLASSES

Resources