|
Commission on Aging
Older
Adult Respite Program (OARS)
In-home respite services through the OARS program
have been provided for nine years. Services are
provided to care givers of the medically frail. The
program was created to help fill the gaps created by
Medicare cuts to home health care agencies. The
need was identified by requests from care givers who
needed some relief from the 24-hour care of their
loved one (sometimes the loved one is over 60, other
times the care giver is over 60 while the loved one
is under 60). The OARS program continues to maintain
individuals in their homes for as long as possible
by providing supportive care for clients and their
caregivers.
There are three different types of services offered
through the OARS program.
For those who need skilled respite assistance,
care givers are offered up to 24 hours of respite
assistance per month. Additional hours requested are
evaluated on a case-by-case basis. COA contracts
with Newaygo County home health care agencies to
provide these services. The program is unique in
that the care givers can obtain service from any one
of the home health care agencies with which we
contract. A referral may be made from a physician,
a care giver, a COA case worker, or a home health
care agency. An assessment of need is submitted to
the program coordinator to determine eligibility.
Upon approval, the referring party is notified and
the care giver and service provider schedule hours
of service according to the identified needs. Home
health agencies utilize certified home health care
companions to provide the respite services.
For those who do not need skilled care, we have
volunteers who go into the homes for up to 10
hours per week per client. The volunteers visit
with the clients while the care givers take time for
themselves or take time to attend to matters such as
grocery shopping and doctor appointments.
Overnight respite services through COA have
been provided for eight years. COA has working
agreements with specific residential facilities to
provide up to 72 hours (three days) of respite
service per year per care giver/receiver. Requests
for more than three days are considered on an
individual basis and may be granted if funding is
available and if the circumstances warrant
additional days. Requests may be made to the COA
respite coordinator by care givers, physicians, home
health workers, mental health workers, or FIA Adult
Protective Services workers. The coordinator
contacts the residential facilities to confirm bed
availability and to provide basic admission
information. Provisions are made for emergency
admissions, with the coordinators home phone number
available to agency personnel who may need it.
For respite services there is a
suggested donation of $1.50 per hour of service
provided. However, no one will be refused respite
services due to the inability to donate.
93 S Gibbs
PO Box 885
White Cloud MI 49349
Email Address: info@newaygocoa.org
Telephone: (231) 689-2100 or 1-800-689-2100
Fax: (231) 689-0871
|
