Caregiving
Your "Caregiving" Guides
Questions and Answers
— Sandra Harrison
If she is looking for a shared housing type of arrangement and lives in
If your friend lives In
http://www.ywca.org/atf/cf/{D3CA6459-BAA9-42E1-9706-33B2DE045980}/Senior%20Shared%20Housing.pdf
If she is a home owner in
Good luck, Bobbi Diamondstein
— Elder sister
Thank you for your question regarding respite care. Respite is one of the top three needs for caregivers in our country, the other two being information and access to services.
When we think of respite we need to think of two people — the caregiver and the care recipient — to determine what type of respite may be best. For example, depending upon the situation, certain types of respite may contribute to a caregiver's stress as they worry about how the care recipient is being cared for in their absence.
There are several types of respite to consider:
1) Family and friends — Sometimes a friendly visit by a family member or friend can provide a brief period of respite so a caregiver can get out to enjoy some time off or take care of personal needs.
2) Respite visitor programs — In Philadelphia there are several programs which provide visitors. One for residents of Philadelphia is the Time Out program at Temple University. More information can be found at:
Time Out or by calling 215-204-6540. There are also several volunteer visitor program such as those provided by an initiative called Faith In Action. To learn if there is a program near you please go to: Find a Local Program.
3) Area Agencies on Aging —Area Agencies on Aging are located in most counties across the country. Family Caregiver Support Programs are part of each Area Agency on Aging and may be able to offer services which can help provide respite. For example in Philadelphia the Area Agency on Aging is the Philadelphia Corporation on Aging. To learn more about the Family Caregiver Support Program at PCA you may go to: Philadelphia Corporation on Aging or call the PCA Help Line at 215-765-9040 between 8:30 AM and 5:00 PM on weekdays. To find out information on other locations one can start with the Eldercare Locator at: Elder Care.
4) Faith Communities — Faith communities in the region provide an array of health and social services to people living in our communities. If a caregiver is eligible, these services also may be helpful. Check with your local faith community or denomination offices in your area.
5) Home and Community Based Services — There are home health and personal care agencies throughout our region which offer a variety of services that may be helpful by providing in-home care which can provide respite.
The Pennsylvania Department of Health provides a list of licensed home care agencies at: Pennsylvania Department of Health.
You may also want to contact a local hospital or health system which can provide information on home health or personal care services available in your region. There are also companies which provide fee for service non-medical services which can be helpful to a family.
6) Adult Day Health or Care Services — Adult Day Health or Care services provide care during the day at a location which may be near the care recipient or caregivers home. Social service departments at the local long-term care provider, hospital or health system may be aware of what programs are available in your area. 7) Respite Stays — Providers of long-term care services such as assisted living facilities or nursing homes may provide respite stay services. This would be if a caregiver wishes to go away for a longer period of time. For example a caregiver may wish to attend a social function out of town and the care recipient can be admitted to a facility providing respite care for a period of time. One would need to check with assisted living or skilled care facilities in your region to see if they provide respite stays. These are a few examples of respite care options. I hope this information is helpful to you and your sister. Please contact us again if we can provide further information. Brian Duke
— BEVERLY SCOTT
For many years there was talk that the state of Pennsylvania would create a program that would pay people who are caring for family members. But unfortunately this kind of program does not exist at this time. There are Waiver programs available in each county through the County’s Area office on Aging. These programs provide services at little or no cost to people who qualify financially. In Philadelphia County that would be the Philadelphia Corporation on Aging. Their phone number is 215-765-9040.
For contact information for other Area Agencies on Aging, please go to the Aging Services section of the Coming of Age website.
Through PCA you can arrange for a social service assessment for your mother. A social worker will come out to do a full assessment, including your mother’s needs and her financial situation. If criteria are met, they will provide caregiving services and inform you of other programs for which your mother may qualify.
As part of the assessment PCA can determine what other adjustments need to be made to your home to make it safer and more comfortable. A program called SHARP which helps people in need with devices like grab bars is available through PCA as well as Meals on Wheels. These programs often have long waiting lists. So don’t delay, contact PCA or your local county Area Office on Aging as the first stop in getting help.
SUE and BOBBI
— Sam from Philly