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J .iA.2.W JTpxy4vlgl,?1W . yfyf 9 1989 ~'~1'~e~' VA - Imagine is a national campaign of The Canadian Centre for Philanthropy to increase Canadians' awareness and contribution to all charitable and volunteer organizations. We support their goals and are contributing space for the Imagine ads on this and other pages. To bring the campaign closer to home, the Whitby Free Press is running a series of profiles of the needs and activities of local organizations. Call us if your organization could use a boost. Families who speli relief By Adam Sikora Respite - an interval of rest or relief. That is what the Durham Association for Family Respite Services offers - a break to the primary caregiver(s) of a person who is handicapped - and it all comes down to a matter of fam- ilies assisting other families. Family relief services have existed in Durham Region since the mid-1970s. Beforethis, many parents of developmentally hand- icapped children expressed reluc- tance to place them in homes, institutions and other such places which would take them out of the community and leave them in an unfamiliar situation. The Oshawa & District Asso- ciation for the Mentally Retarded (now known as the Oshawa and District Association for Com- munity Living) developed a fam- ily relief program which involved matching the handicapped in- dividuals with specially trained 'host' families living in the same community. Its success and the need for respite care in the area led to the development of the Durham Region Family Relief Services, becoming a functioning support service in December, 1978. On April 1, 1982, it was incorporated and became known as the Dur- ham Association for Family Relief Services. The program was expanded in June, 1987, allowing for respite care services for families who were caring for a child, aged from birth to 19 years, with a ph sical han dicap. rJanuary 1988, the associa- tion voted to change the pro- gram's name to t e Durham Association for Family Respite Services, feeling the new name more accurately reflected the ser- vices provided by the program. To e eligible for the pro am, a family has to be caring at home for either a family member who has a develop mental handicap or a child who has a physical hand- icap. This also makes the family eligible for 24 days of relief each calendar year, used any way which meets the family's indivi- dual needs. The association provides three types of relief programs, the first two available to families with a child who has a physical hand- icap, and all three for families with a child whoshias a develop- mental handicap: - Host Family: where relief is provided in a warm 'ad caring environment of the host-family and as little change as possible is made to the person's rçgular routine; - In-Home Relief: whera a trained relief provider is willing to go into the home of the hand- icapped individual, a benefit where the alternative would be to have to move pieces of heavy equipment or where the needs of that person would be better met in his/her own home; - Babysitters: in which the program office has a list of nanies of trained babysitters wil- ling to go into the home available on request, recognizin gthe pro- blemn that familles wit a hand- icapped member have in finding -someone competent. (However, for this option arrangements are made directly between the family and the sitter). This program presents many benefits for both the client and the family. Lt provides the placed individual wih new expernences and situations. allowing the~ per son to interact socially and dev-. 1p new friendships and relation- ships. Often, the placed person becomes an integral part of the family. Also, the individual's education and training programs can be continued, as if at home on a day-to-day routine, which is con- tinuous and reassuring. For the person's family, the stress of maintaining a handicapped per- son in the family unit is relieved, an element which can often con- tribute to family disintegration. Parents of the handicapped are able to take a vacation without worry, knowing their family member is in good hands, and it allows them to spend time, with other siblings, which otherwise mi ht not be possible. Eactions of clients have been encouraging, - many expressing the desire for a return visit to the family and eagerly anticipat- ing it. For the host family, there is personal satisfaction, with a development of healthy attitudes among their children towards handicapped individuals, and all family members grow through the experience and broaden their base of knowledge about the needs of handicapped indivi- duals. In addition, there is a nominal amount of financial renume- ration to host families to cover out-of-pocket expenses. There are nearly 200 clients and 77 volunteer families in Dur- hàm Region, and according to Nancy McAlp ine, volunteer coor- dinators of the association, they are always looking for more, say- ing volunteers have the benefit of a flexible schedule and can volunteer as little as one week- end a month. Says McAlpine: "In today's day and age, when families are so separate and everyone does their own thing, this is something a family can do together." The process of arranging a placement after a parent calls and makes a request to join the program goes as follows: 1) an area coordinator visits the family to know the client's needs and interests as well as the client in his or her school or daily program setting in pre- p aration to choose a suitable host family. 2) When a famil best suiting the family's and cient's criteria is chosen, the prospective host family is contacted, and if inter- ested, a joint home visit is arranged. is involves the coor- dinator, natural parent(s) and client going to visit the host family, getting to know them and become familiar with the sur- roundings. Then there is an oppurtunity to ask and answer any questions. 3) After the visit, both families are again contacted and if either has, any concerns, they are encouraged to discuss them frankly with the coordinator. If both 1fel comfortable, a short placement (a few hours) is arran ged and the match is eva- luate before anything longer will occur. Both familles and individuals are encouraged to apply as a host or relief provider. However, in the case of a family the decision to apply must be made as a whole. The amount of time each host family is willing to contri- bute to the program will differ and be negotiated .individually with each family. What is looked for are those who are sincerely interested in JOYCE AND JIM O'Connor of Oshawa, Region which provide respite services shown with grandson Jordan Deen, for developmentally handicapped chil- are one of the families in Durham dren. Vince Ohpreclo-Free Pres photo Durham Association for FAMIJLY RESPITE SERVICES Purpose: to arrange for host families/relief providers to provide respite for families with handicapped individuals. Funded by: Ministry of Community and Social Serviewes under the Developmental Services Act Volunteers: 77 relief providing families in Durham Region. Contact: Nancy McAlpine, 668-3812 working with developmentally or ph sically handicapped people, ae to understand the basic needs of these individuals and to le supportive to another family. A host family or relief provider agì-ees to care for a person for a speèific relief period. This client will usually participate, as far as possible, in the normal routines of the hôst family. To become a host family/relief provider, the family/provider must receive a visit from a coor- dinator for an orientation ses- sion. The coordinator will then ask for three names for refer- ences and check them out. A form is given to be signed by the family doctor and returned, stating that the person(s) is phy- sically and emotionally capable of caring for developmentally and/or handicapped individuals. Providers will also be asked to sign a release of information form giving the association per- mission to do checks with the police and local Children's Aid Society office. If the hosts or provider has no experience, with handicapped in- dividuals an oppurtunity to gain practical experience through volunteering in a communit program for handicapped chil- dren or adults can be provided. Then at least one host parent or relief provider will complete the specialized training course organized by the program. Mis provides information on a wide range of disabilities the care andliandling of handicap- ped individuals, first aid, and information on changing atti- tudes and trends in the field. It also provides an excellent opportunity for meeting, sharing experiences with, and supporting others involved in the program. Final approval is given by the coordinator of volunteer services after all requirements have been completed (conditional approval may be given pending completion of the course). The host parents/relief pro- vider will then be asked to sign a statement of confidentiality in which they agree to protect the privacy of any information they may receive about the handicap- ped individual or his/her family. The Durham Association for Family Respite Services is totally funded un der the Developmem- tal Services Act by the Ministry of Community and Social Ser- vices. Host families are volun- teers, not employees of the agency. Natural parents are invoiced for a small share of the place- ment costs. If cost proves a pro- blem, subsidies can~bë arranged. However, a family's inability ti contribute will not affect receiv- in relief. e pro gram has various staff to cover the numerous aspects of the association. There is an area coordinator responsible for sup- porting both natural and host families in one of the areas Durham Region has been divided into geographically. The executive director is res- ponsible for the overall manage ment of the program and stafl and there is aIso office and administrative su pport staff. The affairs of t he Aassociation are managed by the board of 11 directors who are all volunteers, Eight of the directors are elected members from the community and the remaining three are by apointment, one each by the Board of Oshawa and District Association for Community Liv. ing, the Ajax, Pickering,Whitby Association for Community Liv- ing, and the Central Seven Asso ciation for the Developmentall Handicapped. The board is responsible for developing policy an monitorin the pro am and funds. It i account ale to the Ministry o Community and Social Services. Parents and other persons interested in becoming memberq of or volunteers for the Durham Association for Family Respitd Services, can call Nancy McAl- pine at the program office at 668-3812. 10C ONCE BOUGHTA )T OF CHOCOIATE BAR. s ONCE BOUGHTA LOT OF HELP. mg begiri-, wth vou M ýj a- .