Advancing Respite Research – Findings from the Respite Research Summit

On September 29 and 30, 2020, ARCH convened the virtual Respite Research Summit with more than 130 national and international participants. The Summit was a capstone event to an initiative by the ARCH National Respite Network and Resource Center to advance a respite research agenda developed by an Expert Panel.

The purpose of the Summit was to review and assess the current state of respite research with the goal of advancing a respite research agenda to strengthen respite services. Researchers currently engaged in respite-related research were invited to present their research on respite and caregiving, with specific reference to six recommendations made by an Expert Panel of researchers, advocates and funders convened by ARCH in 2015.

This report captures the most salient findings from the Summit. The recommendations made by both researchers and other Summit participants will be used to advise ARCH on the next phase of advancing respite research. ARCH has convened a Committee for Advancement of Respite Research charged with taking the original work of the Expert Panel and the findings from this Research Summit to help tailor ARCH’s next steps for advancing respite research.