Respite care for children with severe handicaps and their families has been developed to serve the rural, sparsely populated areas of upstate Wisconsin. Since its' inception, the program has provided a necessary outlet to the families of 51 children at a cost of $34.70 per day. The basic elements of the program lend themselves to being replicated…

Designed for parents who wish to develop local respite care services for families with disabled children, this primer outlines strategies for: evaluating current available services and programs; pulling people together; conducting a needs assessment; raising money; and writing a proposal. (CB)

Describes Respite Program which provided 4 weeks inpatient care over one year to frail older veterans who lived with unpaid caregiver. Program personnel taught 850 families health care delivery skills needed to maintain a disabled person at home and how to build community support systems. Program prevented inappropriate placement by providing…

Four experiments were conducted to evaluate a respite care training package. Effects of an instructional manual on acquisition of respite care skills were investigated and compared with a workshop approach. A simplified package was developed and found useable by respite care personnel. (CL)

The article describes the Eden Family of Programs (New Jersey) for persons with autism which range from temporary summer respite care services to full-time group homes. Noted are the program's history, participants, staff, schedules, programs, normalization, human rights, administration, and trustees. (DB)

Users and non-users of home-based respite care services for parents of children with developmental disabilities were compared. The respite care group showed overall consistent benefits from the respite services in coping resources and stress reduction. (Author/DB)

Many families provide lifelong support to their relative with an intellectual disability. However, relatively little information is available for national populations on the characteristics of the people for whom these families care and the supports they receive or need. A database of all persons in receipt of intellectual disability services has…

The record of the 1985 hearing addresses policy issues concerning families of disabled children. Statements are presented from parents of severely disabled children, educators, researchers, agency personnel, and disabled consumers. Topics addressed include sources of family stress, need for financial and respite services, the effects on other…

The book examines approaches for developing supports for families with special needs. Following a brief introduction to the needs of families with disabled family members, a section considers basic questions to be used in determining the needs of individuals within the family and of the family as a whole. An example of short-term care services is…

The handbook provides an overview of developing and operating a respite care program for mentally and/or physically handicapped persons. The following procedures are addressed: staffing, setting fees, funding, recruiting service providers, training service providers, informing families, and referring requests for respite care. Sample forms,…

The article describes a Netherlands model for support and assistance to families of handicapped children. "Practical Help at Home" is an outgrowth of the Parents' Initiative Movement and relies on volunteers to provide a range of services including respite and training. (CL)

Ninety-nine caregivers who utilized a respite service reported that respite care contributed to improved physical and mental health, better relationships, and increased confidence in their ability to continue in the caregiving role, while not affecting patients' physical or mental functioning. Reported likelihood of institutionalization increased…

Reports on the development and implementation of an in-home respite program using trained volunteers to provide at-home companionship and supervision for frail elderly persons while family members are absent. Project RENEW volunteers and families are described, and a discussion of difficulties and future directions is presented. (Author)

Families of disabled children (N=32) using respite care over a four-month period reported positive impact on family relations, social activities, emotional and physical strains, and plans for institutional care. Families caring for younger children viewed the services as more helpful than parents caring for older children or adults. (Author/CL)