Emergency Caregiver Respite: When No Other Source Can Help

Emergency Caregiving Respite (ECR) is a respite care program designed to assist 24/7 family caregivers. Through ECR any Idaho caregiver providing 24/7 care to any person of any age (child, adult or elder) is eligible to apply for funding.

Facts

• Respite care is an intermittent period of relief for primary caregivers so that s/he may take a break from the continual responsibilities of caregiving.  ECR is a short-term period of relief when there is an unforeseen emergency or crisis or there is trauma or increased family stress.

• An emergency is an urgent or unforeseen event such as a funeral, need for medical

  

  attention, or severe emotional distress, which results in the immediate or unavoidable absence of the primary caregiver or back up caregivers from the home where care is provided.

• To obtain ECR funds, caregivers in an emergency situation, and/or agency staff assisting a caregiver, may apply for emergency respite care funds at www.idahofederation.org. Click on "Respite Care" and then "Emergency Caregiver Respite" to complete an on-line application form, or print a form to email or fax.  Caregivers or agency staff can also call the Federation of Families for Children’s Mental Health (Federation of Families) at (208) 433-8845 or 1-800-905-3436 to initiate the application process.

• Caregivers are responsible for identifying their choice of respite care provider.  The respite provider can be a family member, trusted friend or an agency providing in-home or temporary residential care.  If the caregiver needs assistance locating a respite provider the 211 CareLine may be of assistance.

ECR is a collaborative project of the Idaho Commission on Aging, the Idaho Federation of Families for Children’s Mental Health, and the Idaho Caregivers Alliance. More detailed information regarding eligibility, emergency criteria, additional resources and the application can be found at: www.idahof ederation.org or by contacting the Idaho Federation of Families at: (208) 433-8845 or 1-800-905-3436.