Respite Care
The Arc’s Respite Care Program provides quality care for the individual with a disability while giving family members short-term relief from their day-to-day caregiving routines. The Program’s primary goal is to offer a community-based service to families so that they might be more supportive of their family member with a developmental disability living in the home.
We Strive To:
- Maintain and strengthen family units
- Prevent out-of-home placement
- Circumvent crisis situations
- Allow persons with disabilities the opportunity to live as normally as possible
- Relieve parents of the stresses associated with caring for a person with disabilities
On a pre-arranged basis, qualified care providers come to the home and care for the person with a disability while caregivers are away, or busy with other activities in or around the home. Services are available on an hourly or overnight basis, and may include community outings and activities with the family’s consent. Respite Care is available for anyone of any age who has been diagnosed with a developmental disability or delay. Respite Care is available in Anson, Harnett, Hoke, Lee, Montgomery, Moore, Randolph, and Richmond counties.
Respite Options:
In-Home Respite: Families and the individual with a disability are carefully matched with a trained care provider who will come to the home to provide short-term relief to the family caregivers. The Respite Coordinator first will visit the family and then introduce one or more care providers to the family and facilitate finding a good match.
Community outings: Some families prefer that their family member with a disability be given more opportunity for community inclusion. Trained care providers will accompany the individual on outings such as shopping, movies, dining, etc. at the consumer’s request.
Group outings: A trained care provider can be the chaperone of a small group (2-4) individuals of the same peer group for community activities such as bowling, movies, dining, etc. on a pre-arranged monthly basis.
How to apply:
Anyone, including the individual with a disability, family member or other agencies, may make a referral for Respite Care by contacting our Respite Program Coordinator. If you are unsure your family member is eligible for Respite through Medicaid, please contact the Sandhills Center.
An application is completed by the family and once eligibility is determined, a home visit will be scheduled by the Respite Program Coordinator. During the home visit, the coordinator will explain respite services and assist the family in completing assessment and release forms. Following the home visit, the coordinator will begin interviewing potential care providers, or if the family has someone in mind, arrange an interview with that person. All care providers must complete training in CPR and First Aid, confidentiality, human rights, Universal Precautions/bloodborne pathogens, among other competencies.