Be a Companion - Give a Caregiver Respite

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Caregiver Support ensures caregivers know they are not alone and that help is available. Volunteers provide companionship to care receivers who should not be left alone so caregivers can get needed time off.

Often people living with disabilities or memory loss and their caregivers have limited social contact outside their families. Volunteers are welcomed as friends, relationships develop, caregivers begin to cope better with daily stress, and thus the whole family is served. Volunteers are paired with a family and serve 4 - 16 hours a month, although there is no minimum or maximum about of time that can be donated.

Respite Care
Respite care volunteers offer quality companionship to a person with memory impairment or a chronic condition, so the primary caregiver can take a few hours off to attend to their needs. This has several benefits as it gives the primary family caregiver time:

• To enjoy other activities like lunch with a friend or other social outings.
• To run errands or make appointments without feeling rushed.
• Respite care volunteers typically provide respite to their assigned family for 2-4 hours weekly or every other week.

Training
Respite Volunteer Training is offered to support respite volunteers. The training and education explore HIPAA and client confidentiality, boundaries, professionalism, and respect, case examples/caregiving-centric issues, and dementia education.

Matching Process
Neighbors Helping Neighbors takes great care to match a volunteer and family. The Volunteer should feel comfortable handling the Care Receiver’s level of functioning. The Care Receiver should feel comfortable and respected by his/her new Volunteer companion.