6.4. Respite
There are times when direct services are
needed to bolster the family and enable them to
continue in their role as primary care-giver.
Respite offers this kind of support. The services
offered through the Family Support Center are
designed to supplement, not replace, the care
and support provided by family members. Not all
families providing care for ill or impaired relatives
will feel the need for these services, but
when extensive care is needed, especially when it
involves stressful elements such as caring for a
severely demented person, constant care, or
dealing with behavioral issues, a break for the
care-giver can be essential to the health and well
being of both the care-giver and the care receiver.
The Family Support Center helps families
to problem-solve around the often complex and
emotionally stressful decisions regarding where
to get assistance from formal or informal sources,
and, when necessary, offers supplementary help
which maintains the informal caregiving system.