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Caregiver

The demands on caregivers are endless. There is no one profile describing a caregiver, a caregiver’s situation, or the duration of the caregiving experience. Caregiving can range from periodic phone calls and visits from distant caregivers, buying groceries or managing money, to the daily duties of personal care. Caregiving responsibilities may also be spread over several households and beyond immediate family to friends and acquaintances.

Information, training, decision support, respite, problem solving alternatives, and social support are among the things offered as services to caregivers. In Idaho there are several programs to aid caregivers with their responsibilities and challenges.

Support Group

The Area Agency on Aging offers a Support Group for Caregivers. It is held monthly at the Area Agency on Aging offices at 214 East Center Street on the 4th Wednesday at 2:00 pm.

Who is Eligible for Caregiver Services?

• Family caregiver (18+) of an individual 60 years of age or older.
• A grandparent, step-grandparent, or relative by blood, marriage, or adoption, aged 55 years or older, who is caring for a child who is not more than 18 years of age.
• A grandparent, step-grandparent, or relative by blood, marriage, or adoption, aged 55 years or older, who is caring for an individual with a disability.
• Family caregiver (18+) of any age who is caring for an individual of any age with Alzheimer’s disease or related disorder with neurological and organic brain dysfunction.

For additional information, see below.

Respite

In-home respite is a service designed to encourage and support efforts of caregivers to maintain functionally or cognitively impaired persons at home. Paid respite staff and volunteers provide companionship or personal care services, or both, when needed and appropriate for the care recipient and the caregiver.

Respite services may include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Meeting emergency needs
• Restoring or maintaining the physical and mental well-being of the caregivers
• Providing socialization for the care recipient

Eligibility

• The care recipient shall have physical or cognitive impairments affecting Activities of Daily Living or Instrumental Activities of Daily Living functioning to the extent twenty-four (24) hour care or supervision is required.
• A caregiver sixty (60) years of age or older residing with an eligible care recipient who is under sixty (60) years of age is eligible to receive Respite.
• A caregiver under sixty (60) years of age residing with an eligible care recipient aged sixty (60) years or older is eligible to receive Respite.

Eligibility Determination:

• Highest priority shall be given to caregivers of care recipients who have the greatest degree of physical or cognitive impairment and who are lacking informal supports other than the regular caregiver.

Service Limitations

• When personal care services are a part of the Supportive Service Plan, those services shall be provided by trained Respite employees or trained Respite volunteers.
• Services requiring supervision of a registered nurse in accordance with the Nurse Practices Act shall not be performed by respite workers.
• The Respite provider shall provide adequate and appropriate insurance coverage prior to assigning its respite employees or volunteers to assist clients with personal care tasks.

Idaho Lifespan Respite

What is Idaho Lifespan Respite?

Respite is a break for caregivers providing care to someone of any age with a significant disability, special need or chronic illness.
Caregivers may hire from their support network such as family member, friend or a familiar individual.

Caregivers set their respite schedule, hire who they choose as a provider and manage their budget.

Who is eligible under Lifespan Respite?

— Caregivers must be at least 18 years old and an Idaho resident.
— The caregiver must be providing unpaid care to their loved one.
— Currently not receiving paid respite care through another agency or program.
— The caregiver lives with the care recipient, or if the primary caregiver does not live with the care recipient, the caregiver must be providing frequent on-site visits throughout the day, which are essential to assure the client’s health and safety.

For more information contact Gina Hubbard at (208) 233-4032. Email: gina.hubbard@sicog.org