How to Provide Respite Care in North Carolina
Respite care is the act of providing temporary relief or a break to individuals or families with special needs. Respite care can mean providing a spouse or family member with a break from caring for a sick or mentally disabled individual. The best way to provide respite care in North Carolina is to get in touch with an organization or association that specializes in providing respite care.
Instructions
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Contact the North Carolina Respite Care Coalition, which is a network of family, parents, caregivers and professionals across the state that aims to give respite care to individuals who need it. (See Resources 2) You can become a volunteer or take advantage of training opportunities as a member of the coalition. This will help you learn the basics of respite care and how to assess each situation individually.
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Go to the ARCH National website or the North Carolina Health Choice Emergency Respite Care to look for respite services in your community. (See Resources 1 and 2) You can provide respite care as the affected family member by clicking on "Search for Respite." If you want to provide respite care directly to the families, you can contact the association for information on volunteering.
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Use your educational and experience background toward providing respite care. If you were previously a nurse or worked in the health industry, you may be qualified to provide respite care to families and individuals.
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Find out what is needed in terms of respite care. Many families are looking for respite care to provide household tasks such as cleaning or getting groceries. Make sure that you have all the pertinent information that is needed about the person that you are caring for, such as details about their health or disease, their social insurance and health insurance details, the name and phone number of their doctor, and how to administer their medication if necessary. In general, make sure that the family has provided you with a full overview of the needs of the patient.
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Make arrangements for the time that you will be spending with the family or providing respite care. Respite care can provide time off for the family for any length of time, from an hour to a weekend. Make sure that the terms and instructions for care are clear and concise. Also determine whether the respite care will be provided at home or in a care facility.
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References
Resources
- Photo Credit hospital consultant image by Peter Baxter from Fotolia.com
