This fact sheet offers suggestions for developing recruitment plans and retention strategies to entice and support providers of respite care services for individuals with disabilities and their families. Recruitment strategies include: tapping the program's current providers for referrals; focusing on reaching the greatest number of people in the…

The mother of a 21-year-old mentally retarded boy, who also suffers from frequent petit mal seizures, describes the developmental and behavioral problems which led her to seek institutional placement. (LH)

Case studies demonstrate that when chronic sexual conflict constitutes a factor in family homeostasis, nursing home placement of the aged ill is a likely event when either there is a shift in family dynamics due to death or illness of a key member or the aged becomes overtly psychiatrically disabled. (Author)

The monograph provides an historical overview of services for families of disabled children and considers strategies for increasing family support. The historical analysis traces factors influencing the lack of priority placed on family services and describes trends in family resource services. Advantages and drawbacks of the continuum and array…

Presented is the manual which resulted from a project to develop a program of relief or respite care for families with developmentally disabled members. Background on the respite care approach in Montgomery County (Maryland) is reviewed, and a long range and immediate goals of the project are outlined. Noted among results of a survey to determine…

Camp Fire's Special Sitters Project addresses the need for respite care experienced by parents of disabled children. The project trains teenagers to care for young handicapped children and links the teenagers with parents who call for babysitting service. The project has been successfully replicated in five communities. (Author/JDD)

A survey of 124 families with mentally retarded children identified those families who did and did not use respite care services. Families who tended to use respite care were larger, made greater use of professional support services, and had children with more severe handicaps and more serious behavior problems. (Author/JDD)

A social anthropologist and a child psychologist interviewed 171 Norwegian families with preschool children having nine different handicaps regarding consequences of the handicap for the family, respite care assistance, kindergartens, home help, community aid, and financial assistance. Findings indicated the major problem to be underutilization of…

Considerations related to the design and development of a respite care service delivery network for families of developmentally disabled persons are addressed. A five-component model for developing a respite care service network is presented, focusing on the need for competency-based service-provider training and parent involvement. Lastly,…

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)

Presents results of a three-state mailed survey that examined pre- and postadoptive service needs of 562 families who adopted children, most of whom had special needs, through public child welfare agencies. Financial and medical adoptive subsidies emerged as pivotal service needs. Counseling and education services and respite care were evaluated…

Examined use of time among female caregivers of dementia patients who used home care (n=20) and day care (n=20) respite services. Assessment of caregiver activity during respite and nonrespite days revealed significant program differences in amount of caregiving time and overall differences in amount of noncaregiving time. Use of respite time was…

This site visit report describes activities, strengths, and challenges of the Area Agency for Developmental Services in Region VI of New Hampshire, with an emphasis on bringing people with developmental disabilities out of the state institution to community-based services. The agency provides case management services, family support services, and…

Basic information about respite care for individuals with disabilities and their families is presented in a question-and-answer format. The following questions are addressed: "What is respite?"; "Who needs respite services?"; "Who provides respite services?"; "What kinds of services are provided?"; "How…