Respite Program

Respite services provide infrequent and temporary substitute care or supervision to adults who are frail or have a disability.

The goals of respite services are:

• To provide caregivers relief and support from the stress of their caregiving responsibilities.
• To allow caregivers to address their own needs.
• To keep loved ones in the community by preventing or delaying institutionalization.

While all local offices for the aging provide respite services, NYSOFA directly funds 8 respite programs. This includes seven community-based agencies and one local offices for the aging that serve 32 counties in New York State.

Services that can be provided under the Respite Program include:

• Adult day services, including adult day health care (ADHC), social adult day services (SADS)and Group Respite In-home services, including personal care level II, personal care level I, friendly visitor/companion, home health aide services, and consumer directed services.
• Overnight respite including a temporary stay in an adult care facility, nursing home or other setting that includes spending the night.
• Case management to help older adults  and their families assess their needs and develop, implement, and maintain an appropriate plan of services and service delivery.
• Information and assistance on community services including linkages and follow-up on referrals for services.
• Caregiver services including support groups, counseling, education, and training programs to assist caregivers in sustaining their role in caring for older adults.

To be eligible for the Respite Program a person must be caregiver. This is a person who is either a family member or other non-paid person who generally provides the care to or supervision of an adult who is frail and/or has disabilities. The caregiver may or may not reside in the same household as care receiver. The care receiver is an adult who is unable to attend to his or her daily needs without the assistance or regular supervision of a caregiver due to mental or physical impairment and who is otherwise eligible for services on the basis of his or her impairment. Priority is given to adults who are frail and/or have disabilities who are 60 years of age or older.

 Elder Law Section 208 

The following 8 organizations receive a Respite Program grant from NYSOFA:

• Alzheimer’s Association of Western New York (serves the following counties: Allegany, Cattaraugus, Chautauqua, Erie, Genesee, Niagara, Orleans and Wyoming)
• Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Albany (serves the following counties:  Albany, Columbia, Delaware, Fulton, Greene, Herkimer, Montgomery, Otsego, Rensselaer, Saratoga, Schenectady, Schoharie, Warren, and Washington)
• EAC, Inc (serves Nassau County)
• Home Aides of Central New York (serves Onondaga County
• Madison County Office for the Aging (serves Madison County)
• New York Foundation for Senior Citizens (serves the following boroughs: Queens, Staten Island, Bronx, Brooklyn, and Manhattan)
• People (serves Erie County)
• Risewell Community Services (serves Suffolk County)

For Information and questions regarding the State Respite Program, please contact: [email protected].