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The Terrace — |

Respite

by Betty Barton

The Respite Care Home at
4832 Loen Ave. is a community-
based facility funded primarily
by the Ministry of Social Ser-
vices and Housing. It provides
professional services to mentally
handicapped children and adoles-
cents, some of whom are also
physically handicapped, on a
short-term basis. Tomorrow,
Dec. 5, the staff are inviting the
community to take a look at the
operation at an open house from
1:00 to 7:30 p.m.

Committing special needs
children to institutions or other
forms of state-operated care is
becoming a thing of the past.
Most families with special needs
children now provide the exten-
sive care required in their
homes, and the Ministry of
Social Services and Housing
recognizes that they may need
occasional breaks from their
everyday responsibilities. The
Terrace and District Community
Services Choices Program offers
that service to families regard-
less of their income level. They
and the provincial government
recognize that respite care is less
expensive and ‘more . personal
than placing the children in
institutions.

The service is available to care
for the children in the event of
family emergencies, during
planned holidays, or just to give
parents and the rest of the fam-
ily a weekend of rest. The re-

ays

Home? |

spite home hopes to be able to

provide care under more casual.

circumstances, like allowing.
parents to go unaccompanied by
their special needs children to
doctor’s appointments or even
on an afternoon of shopping in
the near future.

The Respite Care Home is in _

its third year of operation. It

currently provides service to }

approximately 20 families
throughout the region. Advance
reservations are recommended,
particularly for weekends, sum-
mer holidays, Christmas and
Easter school breaks. Luanne
Jeffries, program director for
Choices, explains, "A lot of
warmth and care is provided in
this home-like setting. For a lot
of parents, it’s a life-saver!"
Diane McCrostie, supervisor of
the home since the fail of 1989,
says, "Your heart tells you,
"This is where ] want to be.’
This is where I belong now."
Diane was a Terrace resident for
eight years before she moved to
Salmon Arm for 13 years. There,
she worked with seniors and
dreamed of the day when her
children would be grown and
she could train to become a
geriatric/psychiatric ‘nurse. For
about a month after she took
over as supervisor of the Respite
Care Home, she missed the
verbal feedback of her elderly
patients. Then she realized that
the kids were communicating
with her, but in a different and

_ very special way. -

Terrace Review —

Wednesday, December 4, 1991 17

The Terrace Respite Home: one way of supporting families who choose the challenge of
raising special children at home.

One of the Choices supervisors
says, "Diane has a big heart so
she hires. staff. who have the
same caring attitude, rand the
experience."

All staff at the Respite Care
Home are trained to administer
medication that has been pre-
scribed by a physician, to ad-
minister emergency first aid
treatment and to recognize and
protect individuals who may

We're all winners if
YOU buy a 1992 Cash Calendar!

Support a CT scanner for the region.

Dr, R.E.M. Lee (right) and his wife Thelma have been supportive of the CT Scanner from the beginning.
Other supporters include artist Roy Vickers and Wayne Webber.

‘The Or, R.E.M. Lee Hospital Foundation is a charitable organization.
“Funds raised by the Foundation are used for the purchase of
diagnostic and medical equipment

‘The Foundation is currently fundraising for a CT Scanner

for Mills Memorial Hospital to benefit residents of the region.

*A CT Scanner in the Northwest will save costly trips

_ out of the region for diagnosis,

Order your calendars NOW! December 23 is the closing date.

call 635-5178 or 635-6790

Or write the R.E.M. Lee Hospital Foundation,
4720 Haugland A Ave., Terrace, B.C. V8G 2W7

have seizures, and to practice
non-aversive behaviour manage-
ment and gentle teaching skills.

“They provide assistance in all
aspects of maintenance pro-
cedures in daily care and rou-
tines, including feeding, toilet
training, grooming and bathing.
The children are encouraged to
participate in a wide range of
community recreational activ-
ities.

The Home is in operation 24
hours a day, seven days a week
including weekends and holi-
days. A qualified and caring
person who possesses a valid
first aid certificate is in attend-
ance at all times. A ratio of one
staff member for each child

being cared for is maintained at
all times. Four regular staff
members handle day and night
shifts. A pool of “15 on-call —
people is available as required.

All children and adolescents
from birth to 19 years who are
mentally disabled and live in this
region may use the service. A
maximum of five children can be
cared for at any one time, six in
an emergency. The average guest
list on weekends is about four
children.

All families and interested
persons are encouraged to per-
sonally view the home and take
the opportunity to meet the staff
at the open house tomorrow.

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