Respite Overnight (In-Home and Out-of-Home)

Respite Overnights are designed for parents, guardians, or caregivers to have a break. This Service is delivered in the individual’s home, or at another location. During this time, arrangements are made for the assigned DSP ensure that the following needs are met for the consumer, such as:

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• Meals

• Hygeine support

• Medication support

• Sleeping accommodations

 

Each Overnight Respite  is required to be (at least) 16 hours in length, per day. They are billed as single service units (1 Unit is equal to 1 overnight respite). If Respite Overnight (In or Out of Home) is a service already identified as an approved service in the ISP of the individual in your care, you may request Respite Service by completing the Respite Request Form and submitting it to the consumer’s Program Specialist.

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Procedures For Respite:

Whole Life Services Inc. is pleased that you have chosen our agency to provide you, or your adult child with Overnight Respite care.  We realize that you are requesting us to provide a service that requires an even greater level of trust than other services may.  With this in mind, I am sending you this letter with information that will promote the most efficient and best practices for  successful Overnight Respite Care.

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Some of you have utilized respite care services already, if not once, then on many occasions.  Some of you may have respite care in your Individual Support Plan (ISP) for the first time.  For those people who are not familiar with respite care, I have included a checklist to help you or your family member prepare to receive respite care.  Securing respite services is increased by requesting it in advance. Even in the most extreme emergencies we cannot always guarantee respite care, but we will try.  Lengthy overnight respite care may need to be divided between several staff people to accommodate your needs.

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Sometimes you or your family member may stay with a staff person in respite care for overnights, but because that staff person may have to work with a different person in the day, you may need hourly respite (Respite<24 hours) in the day.  For those of you who have on-going day supports such as ATF, Hab Aide, or Companion services, this is not your issue.

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I have included a form for you to use if and when you want to request respite.  Management arranges respite care.  This is so we are sure there are respite units available.  (If you have used your approved units, we cannot provide more unless they are requested and approved in your ISP.  Requests for more units are made to your Supports Coordinator.) Management must also make sure all necessary paperwork is completed. Staff are required to submit a log entry about the respite stay. I cannot stress enough that respite care is not arranged by Direct Care Staff.  Requests must be made through the office. You may have the Direct Care Staff you see bring the form to the office, you may bring it yourself, your adult child may bring it, or you may mail it.  If you are out of forms, you may request respite over the phone to a manager. I suggest that when you send in a respite request form, you attain another blank form through staff you see, or we can send one home with your adult child. There is a section on the form for you to request a staff person you would like to provide the respite. We will determine their availability.  If they are not available, we will suggest another staff person. We encourage the establishment of  relationship and a familiar home to which you or your family member may go. It is a benefit to develop more than one relationship so if one person is not available for the respite, another may be chosen. You may alternate use of a few staff so familiarity is maintained. You may want to schedule respite at times when there is not an emergency, so your family member becomes familiar with our staff.  This makes their respite stay much more comfortable and successful.

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Following you will find the form used to request Overnight (or 24 hour) Respite.  Please do read the checklist on the form so that your family member will be most comfortable in their stay away from home.  While most of this is common sense, it may also help you to not forget an essential item.  The instructions for medication is of the utmost importance.  On the reverse side of the form you will see the format which the Respite Provider will use to report and document the respite stay.  As you take advantage of respite care and get to know the staff, routines will become easier.  Please remember you know this person the best, and staff need to know any important details.  Communication and planning are key factors. Please call our office if you have any questions regarding this memo or the check list.

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Respite Less Than 24 Hours

This service is delivered essentially the same as above, but is intended for shorter periods of time (such as a few hours), and is provided in 15 minute increments. There is no minimum requirement of hours, but this service is utilized on an as-needed basis (by request) and is not typically part of a consumer’s regular service schedule.