North Carolina Lifespan Respite Mini-Grant Summary Report and Conference Presentation

Prepared by the North Carolina Lifespan Respite Project as a final report for the mini-grants initiative of 2012-2013

See also NC PPT Presentation, 2013 National Lifespan Respite Conference, Giving Your Communities the Freedom to Care: How a Little Money Can Go a Long Way.

In March 2012, nine local and county agencies were awarded a total of $135,657 (ranging from $6,250 – $22,500 apiece) to help family caregivers of children or adults of all ages with special needs. Funding was made available through the North Carolina Lifespan Respite Project Expansion Supplement Grant.  This is the final report on  accomplishments; lessons learned; observations about setting goals for maximizing respite time; and, project sustainability results.

Report Attachments

Lifespan Respite Mini-Grantee Summary Tables (Attachment A). From March 2012 through May 2013, more than 235 previously un-served family caregivers in North Carolina received 14,126 hours of respite and 86 volunteers were trained through these mini-grant projects. Equally as important is the fact that as a result of these mini-grants, at least 12 new or enhanced services have been sustained after the grant period. Results from each mini-grantee can be viewed in attachment A, entitled “Lifespan Respite Mini-Grantee Summary Tables.”

Lifespan Respite Mini-Grantee Survey Results (Attachment B).  It was the aim of the NC Lifespan Respite Project to gather information and learn from the experiences of those who received respite during this fourteen-month timeframe. This was accomplished by grantees’ administration of pre- and post-service surveys, which queried caregivers on how services impacted satisfaction and perceived caregiver burden. Eighty-eight caregivers completed the pre-service form and 90% of them also completed the post-service form. Detailed results from these surveys are contained in attachment B, entitled “Lifespan Respite Mini-Grantee Survey Results” and summary remarks are included in the “Conclusion” section of this report.

Setting Goals to Maximize Respite Time (Attachment C). Family caregivers were also provided with a document entitled “Setting Goals to Maximize Respite Time” (see attachment C). It has been widely recognized that while family caregivers will often report that they are satisfied with the respite services they have received, there is less evidence that respite has enabled the caregiver to return to their tasks rested and less burdened. The goal of this tool is to encourage caregivers to set goals so that they will more often use their respite break for restorative activities.  Results were obtained that caregivers who used the tool experienced a decrease in caregiver burden.  Download the “Setting Goals to Maximize Respite Time Tool

 

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