Federal
grant supports caring for caregivers
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| Chris McGrane, assistant clinical professor of nursing at URI, demonstrates the lifelike qualities of a mannequin in one of the University’s simulation laboratories, which allow students to practice their skills. (URI photo by Patrick Luce) |
A father with
developmental disabilities tries alone to raise a young son who has surpassed
him in cognitive ability.
A young mother raising
her two children provides around-the-clock care for her aging mother who
suffers from dementia.
These are just a few
examples of Rhode Islanders struggling with caring for a loved-one in the home,
an all-encompassing prospect that can leave little time for them to lead their
own lives.
Sometimes, it’s the caregivers who need to be cared for, and University of Rhode Island College of Nursing students are there to help.
Sometimes, it’s the caregivers who need to be cared for, and University of Rhode Island College of Nursing students are there to help.
“It consumes your whole life,” URI nursing Professor Diane Martins said of caring for an ill, disabled or aging loved one. “Sometimes, you need help providing care, or you just need someone to watch them while you go to Stop & Shop. Sometimes, family members just need to go out and take a walk. This program provides care for the caregivers.”
Thanks to a federal
grant from the U.S. Department of Human Services Lifespan Respite Grant
Program, URI nursing students, along with students from Rhode Island College,
provide respite care for family caregivers throughout the state.
The students visit the home and provide whatever assistance caregivers need, whether it’s help feeding a paralyzed patient, modeling appropriate parenting behavior, or simply sitting with a patient so the caregiver can break away for a short time.
The students visit the home and provide whatever assistance caregivers need, whether it’s help feeding a paralyzed patient, modeling appropriate parenting behavior, or simply sitting with a patient so the caregiver can break away for a short time.
URI students have
focused on providing pediatric respite care, while RIC students have
concentrated on geriatric care.
Students will continue
to provide respite care in the community for the next three years now that the
Lifespan Respite grant has been extended, said Rhode Island Department of
Elderly Affairs Director Charles Fogarty during a tour of URI’s College of
Nursing Monday.
The state agency is receiving $831,000 in federal funds to continue the respite program with URI and RIC and extend it to include students at Salve Regina University and New England Institute of Technology, Fogarty announced.
The state agency is receiving $831,000 in federal funds to continue the respite program with URI and RIC and extend it to include students at Salve Regina University and New England Institute of Technology, Fogarty announced.
“One of the things the
governor has a strong interest in is respite care,” Fogarty said, noting the
state had a long waiting list of caregivers seeking help before the program
with URI and RIC began. “In the last three years, we haven’t had a waiting
list. This takes a need in the community, combines it with the resources at the
University to create a real win for the state.”
Nursing students are
particularly qualified to provide respite services for caregivers who are
sometimes hesitant to leave their loved ones in someone else’s hands. Nurses
and nursing students have the education and clinical experience to handle many
potential health issues, helping give family members peace of mind, according
to Chris McGrane, assistant clinical professor in nursing at URI.
“Nursing is one of
those professions that is respected in society,” McGrane said. “People feel
more confident knowing they’re nursing students. They see a nurse as a good
resource who can provide the care they need.”
That care is provided
not just to the patient, but to the caregiver as well, according to Kathy
McKeon, of the Diocese of Providence Catholic Social Services, which directs
caregivers looking for respite help to the nursing College. The vital role home
caregivers play is often overlooked, she said.
“One of our big
purposes is to be able to speak on behalf of caregivers,” McKeon said, noting
that for those with low incomes, the service is provided free of charge. “They
are often the unseen person in the background who does so much. It is very
important that we stay focused on the people who are really giving a bulk of
the care.”
The Lifespan Respite
Care Program provides that needed care, while serving a dual role of giving
nursing students real-world, practical experience with patients, according to
URI College of Nursing Dean Barbara Wolfe.
“The number of lives
we’ve been able to touch has been really impressive,” Wolfe said. “One of the
things we’re seeing is what students are getting out of it. They really see
what it’s like working with families. It’s an opportunity to gain experience
and really learn to provide first-rate care.”
Any caregivers interested in receiving respite
care can fill out an application at dioceseofprovidence.org/elder-services or
call 401-278-4500.