Aging and Disability Network of Saratoga County Meeting 9/11.18

Aging and Disability Network Meeting 9/11/18

Attendees: Kim Arnold (Eddy Alzheimer’s Services), Denise Yannari (Saratoga County Office for the Aging), Tara Hnis (Saratoga County OFA(, Racheal Fragomeni (Saratoga County OFA), Keith Kirchoff (Saratoga County DSS), Tena Bunnell (Home Helpers), Kim Anderson Swire (Shenendehowa Neighbors Connecting), Denise DiNoto (Consumer Directed Choices), Mary Moller (Center of Excellence for Alzheimer’s Disease- Albany Med), Jess Flynn (Eddy Daybreak ADS), Stephanie Capone (Saratoga Senior Center), Karin Drosdick (Mechanicville Senior Center ), Blaise Bryant (Consumer Directed Choices), Mary Rickard (Saratoga County OFA), Maria Geizer (Home Instead Senior Care).

Introductions and Announcements: The next Aging and Disability Network meetings are as follows:

 Tuesday October 9^th - at the Saratoga Springs United Methodist Church. The speaker is to be determined.

November 13^th- at St Edwards Church, Clifton Park- The program “What is a Service Dog and what is NOT” will be presented by Cheryl Lawyer, Outreach & Community Education Coordinator from the Northeastern Association of the Blind at Albany (NABA).

December 11 – at Malta Community Center. This will be our annual networking meeting. Attendees are encouraged to bring agency brochures and information, as well as business cards.

Today’s presenter and topic: Doris Green, Director of the New York State Respite and Caregiving Coalition. “The New York State Caregiving & Respite Coalition, NYSCRC, is a partnership of dedicated organizations and individuals committed to supporting the millions of our state's family caregivers. NYSCRC members understand the unique needs of caregivers. Through training and education, we focus on increasing caregivers' access to respite resources. And, we speak with a unified voice to gain the attention of policymakers for the needs of family caregivers.”

Definition of Respite is different in every system but the Coalition views it as planned or emergency care provided to a child or adult with special needs in order to provide temporary relief to family caregivers who are caring for that child or adult.

With partial funding from federal Lifespan Respite Grant, NYSCRC is training hundreds of volunteer respite providers throughout New York State.  Greater availability to respite services will give caregivers more frequent breaks while helping them better manage the physical and emotional stresses that come with caring for an aging and/or disabled loved one. 

By supporting important initiatives, like volunteer-based respite, NYSCRC takes an active role in improving the lives of informal caregivers. 

Funded with a federal grant for Lifespan Respite awarded by the Administration for Community Living to the New York State Office for the Aging.

4 million unpaid family caregivers of adults provide the majority of all long-term care services to older adults and individuals with disabilities in New York State

The Caregiving Crisis:

Our Nations Caregivers are caring for a variety of populations which include the Aging, Developmentally Disabled, Veterans, as well as people who have terminal illnesses.

Virtual Resource Center – A Resource for Training and Information. www.nyscrc.org

REST – Respite Education and Support Tools.

The REST program – an evidence-based respite-training program –  provides the skills and tools needed to provide quality respite.

It is a professionally designed ‘Train-the-Trainer’ course that provides respite education to those who will then go out and train others to be REST Companions™, also known as respite care workers or providers.

The ‘Train-the-Trainer’ course is an intensive, interactive two-day program which provides new trainers with materials they need to conduct their own trainings. Representatives from senior services and healthcare organizations, Area Agencies on Aging, faith-based organizations, adult daycare, or other social service organizations are eligible to receive this training and then share this information among their own communities.

Since launching in 2013, REST has Trainers in 29 states and Canada to date.

REST Essentials™ training course, a four-hour program that prepares volunteers or paid respite workers to provide respite in supervised group settings, such as adult daycare, drop-off or camp programs.

Each program is interactive and highly detailed in order to prepare individuals to care for people across the lifespan, who have chronic healthcare needs or disabilities.

Partially underwritten by a private grant, this program was developed by a team headed by Lois Sheaffer, National Director of REST, and a Master Trainer. Having been involved in respite since the early 1980s as a respite worker, respite program manager, and respite worker trainer, she maintained a leadership role in the Illinois Respite Coalition and is a member of ARCH, the national respite coalition.

REST programs can be customized around any organization’s requirements, provided at their facility or an off-site location and delivered in one- or two-day formats.

For more information about the program as well as the New York State Respite and Caregiving Coalition, go to www.nyscrc.org.