Respite Program

Respite Scholarship Program

Are you caring for someone with Alzheimer’s disease or another dementia? Are there times when you need temporary help taking care of your family member?  Family caregivers who are caring for a relative with dementia need periodic breaks.  When you need a vacation from caregiving let us help you.  This special program is available to families/primary caregivers who are undergoing difficulties and emergencies such as illness, hospitalization, or death, as well as caregiver or staff vacation, who reside in Nassau and Suffolk.

Our respite scholarship program is a unique program serving family caregivers of someone with Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias and can help ensure that your loved one’s needs are met when you can’t be there. This service provides short-term, temporary care that gives the caregiver the opportunity for relief from the demands of care, making their lives more fulfilling.

The Scholarship Respite Program offers temporary overnight care for families who need a break from the continuous demands of caring for a family member with Alzheimer’s disease or another dementia.

For families in Nassau and Suffolk Counties caring for someone with dementia, Parker provides out-of-home and in-home respite opportunities, ranging from a period of a few hours to a few weeks in the home or out of the home, during the day, evenings or overnight. Eligible families are provided with a maximum of 120 hours of paid respite care per calendar year.  To be eligible families must be enrolled in the Willing Hearts, Helpful Hands program and live in Nassau or Suffolk County.  There are no income requirements for this program, however, this program is afforded limited funding and therefore eligible candidates may be subject to prioritization.

This grant can ONLY be used for Respite Care, which is defined as a short-term break for the caregiver.  Respite care may be provided in the home, in an adult day care center or an overnight stay on an intermittent, occasional or emergency basis in a nursing home or assisted living. Grant funds are limited and we could run out of money before your application is considered.

The Respite Scholarship program is open to all individuals who have a diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias in Nassau and Suffolk Counties. To apply, an application must be submitted to the program.  Once the application is submitted a comprehensive assessment will be done to determine eligibility. Please contact us at 516-586-1507, contact WHHH@parkerinstitute.org via email, or click here to apply online.

Companionship Program

Are you caring for someone with Alzheimer’s disease or another dementia? Caregiving is a tough job, but we are here to help. Caregivers of a relative with Alzheimer’s disease report that they frequently feel overwhelmed. High levels of stress can be damaging to both the caregiver and the person with Alzheimer’s disease. Over time this stress can lead to caregiver burnout.  The emotional, physical and financial toll of caregiving can be damaging to the health of the caregiver, as well as the person with Alzheimer’s disease. Everyone can use a break sometimes.

Signs of stress include depression, anger, sleeplessness, lack of concentration, social withdrawal, and sleeplessness. If you experience these signs on a regular basis, get help. Ignoring the signs of stress can harm your physical and mental health. Taking care of yourself is the single most important thing you can do for your loved one. See your family doctor and get help. You are not alone.

Research shows that exercise, respite and other activities can reduce stress. Those caregivers that take a break (respite care) to perform activities like going to church, a movie, a trip to the beauty parlor, run errands or pay bills not only fare better, but they are also more satisfied in their caregiving role and are more able to cope.

Willing Hearts, Helpful Hands connects families/primary caregivers of people with Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias who reside in Nassau and Suffolk with a volunteer to care for your loved one while you take a break.

Trust is a critical foundation upon which this program is built. Prior to the actual service our volunteers are carefully screened through State-wide Criminal Background/FBI check, the National Sex Offender Registry, and receive health care assessments as well as special training.

Our trained volunteers provide assistance for family caregivers, allowing you time to meet your own needs and obligations. The volunteers of Willing Hearts, Helpful Hands provide the care and supervision your loved one needs…on a schedule designed to allow you the time, personal space and freedom that is essential for healthy living.

To apply, an application must be submitted to the program.  Once the application is submitted a comprehensive assessment will be done to determine eligibility.  Eligible candidates may be subject to prioritization.   Please contact us at 516-586-1507, contact WHHH@parkerinstitute.org via email, or click here to apply on-line.

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