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Families find relief from caring for parents through expanding respite programs.
Homes News Tribune Online 2/10/07
By Rachel V. Katz- Correspondent
Once a week, Yvonne Gottlieb and her mother, Rhona Wilmot, each get a much needed break when Wilmot heads to St. Thomas the Apostle Church in Old Bridge for an afternoon of socializing with other seniors. For Gottlieb, it's an opportunity to attend to errands and lift some of the strain that comes with caring for her 86-year-old mother at home. For Wilmot, it's a brief return to independence and an activity-filled afternoon.
"This gives my mom her self-esteem back. When she comes home, she's happy and she's relaxed," says Gottieb, an Old Bridge resident who juggles work along with her role as daughter, wife and mother of a 12-year-old son. At Interfaith Network of Care's respite program, Wilmot enjoys lunch, works on some crafts and socializes with the others in the group." "Somehow we can handle the stress of the situation so much better," adds Gottlieb.
Interfaith Network's program is one of a growing number of options to help New Jersey families caring for parents carve out some time for themselves and lighten their load. Respite programs, which are also available for those caring for children and adults with special needs, provide assistance ranging from day-long activities to in-home health aides. Last year, more than 4,200 New Jersey families received some assistance through the Department of Health and Senior Services' Statewide Respite Program.
Once focused on short-term situations, respite programs are becoming more important as the population ages and more adults find themselves taking care of their parents on a long-term basis. The state's program has increasingly sought to offer flexible alternatives to address the growing need, said Pat Polansky, assistant commissioner of the New Jersey Division of Aging and Community Services.
The state offers several options, including the statewide respite program administered through the counties and an Alzheimer's adult day services program. More recently, the state began piloting a program that provides cash directly to families to allow them to choose the best combination of assistance, Polansky said.