Care Stories

Wow! Respite Care was so helpful. . .

This was many years ago, but when our youngest son was born with multiple disabilities he required quite a bit of time to care and watch out for him. It seemed so much time was taken up with appointments, therapies and just caring for him that little time was left over for the rest of the family. Then we heard about Eagle Valley’s Respite Program. We contacted them and learned they provide support to families or primary caregivers of people with developmental disabilities through temporary, short-term care of the dependent person in the family’s home. It worked out to be helpful to us, providing that break needed so we could go out to dinner or a movie or even just window shopping. A chance to breathe, calm down, focus on each other and enjoy being a family again.

I am grateful for the help. I have no family here and friends disappeared. I loved my husband since I was 11 years old. We got together again in 1993. This disease is horrific and so, so sad to watch a competent, vital, strong man not even knowing me all the time has given me chest pains, worse fibromyalgia, etc. I pray all the time and when I’ve been given these hours I feel a little reprieve. During my 3 hours I run around to the store, Dr.’s, and grocery shopping. But I am so very happy for the time. I wish a cure was available. At least others with disease have the dignity of a somewhat better life than us.

Being a full time caregiver eliminates any personal life and I work 24/7 to meet my 92 year old mothers needs. I only get a couple hours sleep at night and have no time to spend with family and friends. Receiving respite gave me some time with family and friends and additional sleep which made me much happier and patient and less depressed and less anxiety knowing she was well cared for in my absence for a few hours. Having respite made so much difference for the better with attitude and provide less stress and lowered my blood pressure.

My husband and I never had a date night before respite. Now we get to reconnect a few times a month. Our whole family benefits, my daughters looks forward to every respite session.

Receiving respite was a big help to me so I could have some time off from caregiving.

When I feel like I can not go another day, those 3 hours can feel like a breath after holding your breath. I can separate myself from being a mom for a minute.

The respite care enhances our life by giving our daughter a safe place to socialize and gives my husband and I a chance to relax and recharge. This makes for a happy family.

Respite has given my husband and I much needed time to spend together as a married couple. We often lose ourselves as just parents.

I have a 16 year old and it has been very difficult to find care for him so that I may have a break. Funding sources are very limited and currently only place is DRC who has the funding for respite, but yet because I have other program (which I can’t use for respite) I don’t qualify for respite program. More places or funding needs to be provided for parents with young adults or children.

Our son is too old for a babysitter; he needs a friend. Our respite workers have all been more like peers and mentors to him. Through a voucher program, we have been able to hire who we want, and offer work to people we know and trust. Some of our best respite workers have actually had disabilities/special needs of their own! Because of respite, we get to enjoy going out to dinner as a couple or to attend a temple session together. That, unfortunately, has become a too rare and precious event in our lives. We use respite to keep our marriage strong!