The City of Greater Geelong Aged and Disability Services Department is committed to informing clients of the scope of services available. To this end we provide the following information about Respite Care.
WHAT IS RESPITE CARE?
Respite is the provision of temporary care or support in order to provide carers with a break from their usual caring responsibilities and duties.
HOW CAN RESPITE BE USED?
Respite can take many different forms according to the needs of individuals and service availability. It can be provided in the client's home or in the local community.
Planned Regular Respite: allocated hours provided at the same time each week, fortnight or month. Clients are permitted to accrue (or "bank") their weekly allocated hours to be used flexibly within a calendar month.
Occasional Respite: allocated hours taken on an infrequent or irregular time. Bookings are preferred to be made five working days in advance.
Emergency Respite: unplanned and urgent respite needed within 24 hours which is additional to allocated hours and is determined on an individual basis. We will make every attempt to provide respite in an emergency situation.
WHY USE RESPITE CARE SERVICES?
This service is designed to give Primary Carers a break from their caring responsibilities allowing them opportunity for social interaction, health care, shopping, study, paying bills, leisure, relaxation, etc.
It also provides enjoyable activities for the person being cared for, whether they be frail older people or younger people with disabilities.
WHEN CAN I USE RESPITE
Respite is available seven days per week, except public holidays, between the hours of 6.00am and 1.00am.
FEES
At the time of assessment for eligibility the Assessment Officer will discuss service costs with you.
Clients will be charged the actual cost of service per hour or part thereof (more for Sunday) where they are late returning home.
WHAT WE CAN DO
Independence/skill promotion
Recreation/outings
Structured programs
Community Care Workers can monitor, supervise, assist or administer medication as part of Respite/Personal Care duties in accordance with Barwon Region Personal Care Guidelines.
WHAT WE CANNOT DO
Respite is not available to provide care while the usual carer undertakes paid employment or unpaid volunteer work.
We cannot always guarantee the availability of a particular Care Worker.
We cannot provide care to children from other households who may be visiting.
CLIENTS RESPONSIBILITIES
Clients must be the carers of a person who is frail aged, has a child or is the carer of an older adult who is in receipt of a Disability Pension.
A minimum of four working hours notice of cancellation must be provided before the service commences and weekend services must be cancelled by 3.00 pm Friday.
Facilities need to be provided for the Community Care Workers for toileting and making refreshments.
Where an activity is requested which would incur expenses to a Community Care Worker the cost of such expenses needs to be paid for by the Client/service user.
Please note that future service may be refused if clients do not meet their responsibilities under the program.
FOR FURTHER ASSISTANCE PLEASE PHONE 5227 0270. |  Croatian
 Dutch
 German
 Greek
 Italian
 Macedonian
 Maltese
 Polish
 Russian
 Spanish
 Ukrainian
|
