Respite Plus: Another
choice for
family caregivers in
rural Minnesota
The Lutheran Social Service
Caregiver Support and Respite Program is launching a project that will
provide additional choices for family caregivers in rural Minnesota.
The new project is called
Respite Plus and will involve recruitment of certified nursing assistants
to provide in-home respite for caregivers who want help with personal care
for their loved one.
"94% of Minnesotans prefer
in-home services to nursing home care," explained Virginia Hanson, program
manager for Lutheran Social Service. "This new project will help us meet
consumer preferences and bring added value to the people that we serve."
The Caregiver Support and
Respite Program has been in operation since 1992 and is funded under
contract with the Minnesota Board on Aging and the Area Agency on Aging as
a part of the Older American's Act. Services offered include non-medical,
in-home respite care, monthly caregiver discussion groups, individual and
family coaching, and public education on caregiver issues. The only
criteria for respite enrollment is that the care receiver be 60 years of
age or older. The caregiver can be any age. A sliding fee is available for
respite hours.
Costs associated with program
development were afforded through a grant from the Otto Bremer Foundation.
Both the commitment from the Foundation to strengthening the non-profit
sector and the LSS commitment to reducing caregiver burden in rural
Minnesota greatly facilitated the development of Respite Plus as another
choice for family caregivers. For more information, please call Monica
Douglas or Tara Giese at 1-800-488-4146.
Lutheran Social Service of
Minnesota (LSS) offers a wide variety of human support services relating
to the basics of life-food, shelter, safety, physical and emotional
well-being. The non-profit organization serves over 100,000 Minnesotans
yearly with services in virtually every Minnesota county. Comprehensive
information about statewide services can be found through the agency's web
site at www.lssmn.org
