Finding Respite Online and With Web Resources

I get 4 hours a week respite. I am told this all the resources the area I live in offers. I have searched and searched for additional time. 4 hours a week just is not enough time when caring for my mother 24/7 I work full time as well, I have no financial backing to pay for any respite. I am the sole income in the house hold, my mother receives no money at this time, I have applied for ssi. But this process takes forever, How do I obtain more time to ensure I stay healthy? I am feeling really frusterated and need to take care of myself, before I have health issues. If anyone has suggestions please help.

I wish I were in Dallas...I would Love to utilize this service. Thats a wonderful idea. And very noble..however I am in a little baby town in MI ...that has rarely any resources. And there needs to be some in place. I have even considered relocating her to another state. It takes a lot of funding and switching of doctors, insurance, and starting all over. I often wonder if it may be worth it for more resources. Thanks for the input. I wish you well....

To assist you in your search for respite care, please try the ARCH Respite Locator Service at www.respitelocator. org
There are more than 4,000 respite providers on this free search service.
Thanks,
---Mike Mathers

I don't know if u can get a Dr to put her on hospice, or even if they have one there. Hospice has volunteers in FL who come for 3 hours periods. They also give free meds, and a cna who comes 3-5 times a week to bath her free thru medicare. They provide hsoptial beds,chairs, pottys etc free thru medicare too. good luck.

If there is an office for the Aging in the area where you live, you might contact them. Ours is in our county offices. Some churches offer a volunteer helper service so checking with a church office might find help for you. Keep looking and don't give up.

Anyone looking for respite assistance, be sure to check out the link that Mike from Arch provided: the Respite Locator Service at www.respitelocator. org

Its a fantastic resource.

One problem with trying to use eldercare.gov is that is only reports upon Medicare-certified home health providers. In many states, including California, that means that almost 100% of the companies that provide home care / companion services (i.e., respite services) will NOT be included on eldercare.gov!

In those situations, you have to look elsewhere. One of the best ways to proceed in that case is to do Google searches that describe the services that you want to find AND the geographic region that you're looking in. An example of such a Google search phrase is "Caregivers in Carlsbad, CA".

Tim Colling
http://www.trustworthycare.com

The thing you have to know about care.com and all the other newly arrived similar sites is that (1) YOU are then the caregiver's employer, responsible for taxes, workers comp, overtime, etc., and (2) those sites do little or nothing about screening the people who sign up there, so it is up to YOU to know what to do and how to do it, such as criminal background checks, TB testing, drivers record checks, bonding, workers comp insurance (and bonding and workers comp coverages are NOT included on most homeowners' insurance policies unless you ask for, and pay extra for, it.)

Good point. It is just a suggestion. If you get someone from another source you have to depend on whether they did a complete screening. I worked for one such company and I do not remember them having me get a TB test. You do not have to pay for the persons taxes, either. They can be a 1099 worker and then they are responsible for their own taxes. I know they do a background check; I am registered to work for them. If the person that wants to hire wants to pay for a more detailed background check they may pay extra for it. I think that is $99.00. I paid $8.00 for my own background check and that covered any known felonies, etc. The other that is paid out of pocket by the employer goes deeper as to credit, etc. I think. I am not an expert, but people should do their own homework and check it out. We have the right to be informed and to make up our own minds. I am only saying that we are not professionals, just people trying to care for our parents and we need to research, research, research. It is hard to trust our family with other people. I felt the same way when I would take my son to day care centers. That was a nightmare and I feel I am going to have to go through it again.

I am not a spokes person for care.com. I am registered there because at this time my Mom is not so needy that I cannot work. It also has jobs for baby sitting and pet sitting. So, I am looking for a little work until Mom cannot be without me. Just wanted you to know. I know some cannot work outside the home and I am dreading that time. I don't want to feel trapped. I will need someone to come in and help me out when that happens. I am also exploring my options. All my family is out of state. So, I am the only one at this time to provide Mom's care.