Respite Voucher Learning Collaborative Meeting

Respite Rx: What Caregivers Need Now

Presenter: Cheryl Dinnell, Program Coordinator, Nevada Aging & Disability Services Division

Cheryl Dinnell from the NV Lifespan Respite project in the Nevada Aging and Disability Services Division presented on the NV Respite Rx voucher program and lessons learned. In 2019, Cheryl presented a description of the pilot Respite Rx voucher program during a previous Respite Voucher Learning Collaborative meeting, as it was getting started. She discussed the challenges in launching it and the initial lessons learned. The self-directed program was targeted to rural family caregivers and caregivers caring for someone ages 18-59. Utilizing strong data collection processes, additional discoveries have come from evaluating the effectiveness of the model during the past year. One of the goals was to test the value of the “dosage” of respite on caregiver well-being. As the pilot program neared completion, Cheryl provided an update and preliminary findings from the initiative during this meeting.