THE FAMILY & WORKPLACE CONNECTION SUPPORTS DELAWARE’S FAMILY CAREGIVERS

Three programs help caregivers manage work and personal life responsibilities

WILMINGTON, Delaware – November 10, 2006 -- On November 1, President Bush proclaimed November as “National Family Caregivers Month”. The Family & Workplace Connection (FWC) offers several programs that support Delaware’s Family Caregivers: ElderOnline, Grand Time Off (GTO), and the Respite Care Database Project.

Launched in December 2005, ElderOnline provides the general public, the elderly, their caregivers, and elder care professionals with free, ongoing online access to comprehensive, current information on elder care service providers in and around the state of Delaware. ElderOnline is supported with funding from AARP Delaware, AstraZeneca, Visiting Angels, Somerford Assisted Living and Alzheimer's Care, Griswold Special Care, Inc., and the Carl M. Freeman Foundation.

Grand Time Off (GTO) provides respite for grandparents and relatives who are raising other family members’ children in their own homes, providing the majority of the care for these children. Caregivers can use GTO to help them find and pay for short-term, occasional child care needs. Each eligible caregiver is able to use a subsidy of up to $400 per child to pay for respite child care. The program is managed by The Family & Workplace Connection (FWC) through a contract with the Delaware Division of Services for Aging and Adults with Disabilities (DSAAPD).

FWC’s latest endeavor, the Respite Care Database Project is being implemented with funding from the Delaware Developmental Disabilities Council as part of a larger initiative to begin creating a statewide lifespan respite care system with a grant from the Federal Administration on Developmental Disabilities. FWC is in the process of expanding its current child care and elder care databases to include information on respite care options for Delaware families who are caring for a loved one with disabilities. Early in 2007, FWC will provide a free search option on our website for families and community professionals to search for respite care options. This database will also provide the community with an overview of the availability of respite care in Delaware and help identify unmet community needs.

For more information about The Family & Workplace Connection and its elder care services, please visit us on the Web at www.familyandworkplace.org.

According to the National Family Caregivers Association (NFCA), in any given year over 50 million people provide some level of caregiving services. Family caregivers provide more than 80% of all home care services. Of today’s family caregivers, 40% provide some level of nursing support.

The mission of The Family & Workplace Connection is to enhance the supply and quality of care and education for children and elders and to help families effectively manage their work and personal life responsibilities.