There is a little confusion as to what respite care is. To some, it is care provided in the home; to others, care provided at a facility. Regardless of how you define it, respite care spells temporary relief for caregivers. Respite care is not a new concept. In fact, the Senate and President Bush have passed legislation to make respite care more accessible to families. (See Lifespan Respite Care Act of 2006) However, the money has been appropriated to fund it yet.
Respite care varies in cost across the country, averaging in some facilities at $200.00 a day. “I’ve heard from countless constituents about this,” said Assemblyman Andrew Raia (R-East Northport, NY), sponsor of a bill that would direct the state Office for the Aging to help coordinate the development of respite care programs throughout New York. “Respite care costs less, it’s more efficient, and better for people to age in place, to grow old in the house that they built,” he said. “Socially and financially, it’s better.” According to statistics from the Assembly’s Standing Committee on Aging, nearly 2 million people in New York are acted as caregivers to their elderly relatives in 2005. This translated to a savings of more than $11 billion a year to the state health care system.
Read More: Respite Care: A tried, true concept that’s come of age
And, more from the respite care front …
Citizens set direction for community to help caregivers
Interested citizens in Gypsum, CO are beginning to take a hard look at the impact the aging boom is going to have on their community and the families that live there. According to this article, issues like having on-demand care for elderly people in the form of adult day care and reducing the stress on families who care for a family member are among the most pressing. “My dream would be that we could have a resource center that would offer day programs and respite care 24/7 for families that need some help,” said Lorene Gallagher, who has been going around the area to gauge the interest and need for respite care for adults.
Read More: Respite for the caregivers
