The focus of this ministry is to provide Respite Care to the care giver of a sick or handicapped individual while in their care.  What exactly is Respite Care? According to Webster’s dictionary the meaning of Respite is…”an interval of rest or relief”.  The goal of this endeavor is to allow the care giver a time period of rest and be temporarily relieved of the continuous duty of caring for a loved one.  The mental and physical health of the care giver is of tremendous importance in order to continue to be the primary care taker of the person within their control.

This Ministry shall be under the “umbrella” of the existing Ministry of the Sick that is presently being offered to the Parishioners in need.  

How would this Ministry work?

Volunteers (of at least 2 people) would visit the home of the “client” to relieve the care giver for a period of time. It is understood that that relief would be between 2 to 4 hours. The care giver can at this time go shopping; take care of personal needs, or simply relax away from the home.

The responsibility of the volunteer is to observe the situation, engage in conversation, play games, etc. but under no circumstances are they to dispense medications,provideheavy 
lifting, or attend to any personal needs of the “client”. Refer to a complete list of the do’s and don’ts of this ministry under separate cover.

In order to begin this Ministry, several steps would need to be taken, in the order as presented, prior to any actual care being offered.

Step 1

• Secure an individual(s) to be the coordinator(s) to oversee this sub-ministry.

Step 2

• Secure at least 2-4 people, with medical backgrounds, to be the interviewers of the perspective “clients” and ascertain if they fit within our program. Some people may need more than what this ministry can provide.

Step 3

• Secure volunteers to be willing to visit the homes and offer this care. It is advisable to have from 5-6 people per “client”.

Step 4

• All volunteers and coordinators will need to be finger printed and complete a Safety Environmental Course which can be done on line. Finger printing must be done though the Diocese of Orlando and is good for 5 years. If you had been finger printed though any other organization, outside of the Diocese, it is not valid and must be done again. All finger printing is done electronically though the Parish of Blessed Trinity in Ocala.

Step 5

• Secure the “client” base. The rules of engagement with any perspective “client” shall be detailed by the Diocese prior to any interviews taking place.

 

Step 6

• All reporting of volunteer hours with each “client” shall be done though Saint Theresa’s Parish on forms provided by the Diocese. This reporting procedure can be done on a monthly basis.