The Kalamazoo (Michigan) Parent Respite Care Co-op enables parents of handicapped children to take a break from the daily care their child requires. (SW)

The paper describes the Temporary Care Services program in Massachusetts which provides in-home respite care to families with developmentally delayed children. Events which led to the program's development are reviewed. Respite care is offered in six areas: emergencies, scheduled routine events, social activities, family life, child care for…

A training program taught 120 teenage sitters child care skills identified as important by parents (N=250) of children with disabilities. Training included first aid and 15 hours of instruction emphasizing communication, responsive play, simple behavior management, handling of emergencies, and interviews with parents. The program also linked…

Recent developments in the area of respite care for families of handicapped individuals are discussed. Two programs, the Hartford Regional Center, which has more than 60 licensed respite homes on its lists, and the Respite Care center of the St. Louis Association for Retarded Children, which has a 16 bed facility, are described. (PHR)

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…

The needs of families of autistic children are discussed and a program designed to prevent unnecessary institutionalization by providing comprehensive services and reducing the stress in the child's family is described. Parents participate through voluntary, program related, and support activities. The family services include respite care and…

Describes the Potteries Elderly Support Group, a small-scale, locally based initiative in England, which relieves relatives, one day a week, of some of the pressures associated with caring for an elderly mentally infirm person. Details the rationale for the group and describes how it has been funded, staffed, and operated. (JAC)

A home-based respite care program for children and young adults with severe and multiple disabilities was conceived and developed by a group of parents and community members. A needs assessment revealed the scarcity of respite care in the Cambridge, Massachusetts area. A pilot program was begun to test the model on a limited basis. Evaluation of…

Available from: Canadian Association for the Mentally Retarded, Kinsmen National Institute on Mental Retardation Building, York University, 4700 Keele Street, Downsview, Ontario M3J 1P3, Canada. A resource home in Saskatoon, Canada, for families of mentally handicapped children provides planned holiday relief for natural and foster families,…

Harbor Area Adult Day Care Center has operated for two years with a primary purpose of providing respite care to families caring for a relative with Alzheimer's disease or related disorders. The rationale, history, program, staffing, funding, and experience for the first two years of the project are provided. (Author/RC)

In the Northern Metropolitan Health Region of New South Wales three short-term residential units have opened since 1976. These units cater to clients of all ages with a range of intellectual handicaps. The units provide emergency and holiday relief, plus a variety of assessment and follow-up services. (Author)

The document contains the coordinator's guide, recruitment guide, practicum guide, training model, curriculum guide, bibliography, and evaluation guide for TABS, (Trained Aides as Baby Sitters), a training program that prepares individuals to be competent sitters for deaf-blind children and that provides a curriculum tailored to the needs of the…

Described is Wisconsin's boarding home program for seven deaf-blind children. (CL)

Describes respite care, a temporary relief service for families with developmentally disabled members at home, as an essential element in preventing institutionalization of disabled persons. Major approaches for providing respite care are identified. The advantages and disadvantages of the different approaches are discussed. (Author/JAC)

Examines issues and special problems of older women caring for disabled spouses. Describes a multiservice project designed to provide support and respite for this high-risk group of caregivers. Implications for policy and practice are discussed with recommendations for further study. (RC)