Respite Care Program: an Essential Element of Supporting Local Family Caregivers

This spring, Washington legislators recognized the importance of unpaid family caregivers by providing an additional $2.4 million for the State Respite program over the next two years. The budget increase will enable the Seattle-King County Respite Program to serve more caregivers, including underserved ethnic groups and residents of rural areas, and to provide increased respite care hours for current participants.

We’d like to share with you a look at the vital support that the Respite Program provides for one local family.


Grace Newman and Son Don Both Enjoy Their Wednesday Afternoons

Carole Bourree, Respite Care Coordinator

Whatever other hopes and dreams he might have harbored for his golden years, at age 77, Donald Newman finds himself in the role of primary, unpaid caregiver for his 96-year-old mother.  Her low vision, profound hearing loss, and significant mobility issues have made Grace Newman dependent on full time care by her son. Despite his own difficulties and losses in his life, Don is committed to helping his mother live out her life in her own home. They are grateful that Grace has remained alert and oriented. She is keenly aware of the wonderful care she receives from her son and the sacrifices he has made for her. For his birthday this year, she demonstrated her appreciation with a homemade card, which took her weeks to complete with fingers so stiff she can barely hold a pencil. While an outsider might not be impressed with the result, Donald will always treasure it for the love that his mother put into it.

Grace rarely leaves her Ballard home these days. A past hip fracture contributed to her difficulty with walking, despite a hip replacement and her trusty walker. Stairs have become nearly impossible for her. So it is not safe for Don to leave his cherished, frail mother home alone. But both look forward to Wednesday afternoons, when their Aging & Disability Services (ADS) respite aide arrives to spend a few hours with Grace. This gives Don a much needed break from caregiving. It affords him an opportunity to spend time with other important people in his life, run essential errands, or go to medical appointments to manage his own health concerns.

For more about the challenges family caregivers face, read on to “Warning! Caregiving Can Be Hazardous to Your Health”

A special bond has formed between Grace and home care aide “Joan,” who comes to them through Solid Ground Home Care (formerly Fremont Home Care), a contracted respite provider agency. Grace especially enjoys savoring a cup of tea, which Joan has learned to make “just the way she likes it.” The family has been fortunate to keep the same aide since enrolling with the Respite Program. Don cared for his mother with very little help for three years before he learned about the program in 2004. He was approaching “burnout,” an all too common state for long-term caregivers. He says Joan is “super” and he doesn’t know how he could have continued to take care of his mother without the assistance of the Respite Care Program.

The Seattle-King County Aging & Disability Services Respite Care Program gives caregivers a much-needed break from their duties. If you have the primary responsibility for caring for a person over the age of 18 and are not paid for this work, you may qualify to participate in this program. 

Call one of the following Senior Information & Assistance (I&A) Programs to find out if you are eligible:

Seattle, North & South King County
Senior Services I&A
(206) 448-3110
(800) 972-9990

East King County
Evergreen Care Network Information, Referral & Assistance 425-899-3200
800-676-6692

Chinese-Speaking Persons
Chinese Information & Service Center
206-624-5633