This week's innovation provides support to those who care for a relative at home. ElderServe at Night was launched in June 1998 by the Hebrew Home at Riverdale. The program provides overnight respite care for people choosing to care for a relative with Alzheimer's disease or related disorders at home. Caring at home for an older person who is seriously confused and disoriented, especially after dark, can be an overwhelming responsibility. ElderServe at Night is available seven nights a week 365 days a year from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. Families can use the service on a regularly scheduled basis or can decide on a given day to use the service that night.
Clients enjoy meals, activities, and specially designed rest areas when needed.
A staff of professionals including registered nurses, physical therapists, dieticians, and certified nurses aides provide medical monitoring. In its first year, ElderServe at Night provided service to 33 clients with varying stages of dementia. Caregivers express that the program has given them a much needed break and peace of mind that the family member is cared for while they rest. ElderServe at Night received the New York Association of Homes and Services for the Aging Innovations of the Year award in May 1999. This program is from the Drucker Nonprofit Innovation Discovery Site.