Caregiving\nis the ultimate act of love, but sometimes the most loving thing to do is take\na break. Respite care can provide occasional time away for caregivers to focus\non their mental health and strengthen relationships with other loved ones. Here\u2019s\nthe best way to begin your search for appropriate care.<\/p>\n\n\n
San\nDiego Regional Center<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n If your child has a developmental disability, the San Diego Regional Center (SDRC) can cover the cost of respite care. First, the child must be registered \u2014 register online at www.SDRC.org<\/a><\/strong>. After intake, the family is assigned a service coordinator, who determines how many respite hours to award on either a quarterly or monthly basis. The number of hours varies and is based on the individual family\u2019s situation (income is not a factor). <\/p>\n\n\n Once\nrespite hours are awarded, the family can redeem them for in-home care or\nout-of-home care at a licensed facility. Most parents of minors opt for in-home\ncare. The Regional Center works with a number of respite care agencies that are\neach responsible for screening their caregivers. If nursing care is needed, SDRC\ncan provide services of a licensed vocational nurse. While it is necessary to\nregister to receive free respite care, families need not participate in the\norganization\u2019s other programs or services unless they so desire. However, according\nto Residential Services Manager, Wanda Bardwell, families do tend to find\nadditional helpful resources through SDRC as their children grow.<\/p>\n\n\n What\nif We Don\u2019t Qualify?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n Even if families don\u2019t meet requirements for free respite hours through San Diego Regional Center, the organization keeps a helpful list of qualified in-home and out-of-home respite care providers. Contact one near you to learn about services and rates: www.sdrc.org\/index.php\/list-of-service-providers<\/a><\/strong>.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n