DO NOT fax or leave your assignment in the instructor s mailbox in the Social Work Department. Any student needing to make special arrangements for completing the assignments due to disabilities, including learning disabilities, are encouraged to privately discuss these arrangements with the instructor. The assignment is one where the student volunteers to serve as a respite caregiver. Informal caregiving is a stressful responsibility. Respite care is given to relieve a family caregiver from the stresses that occur as the result of caring for an incapacitated, ill, or disabled individual.
Respite providers are often volunteers.
PA staff conducts a training program for persons to provide respite care. The training program is too complex to fully describe in this syllabus. Generally, the training for volunteer respite volunteers is conducted over several hours at the PA facility on West College Street at the Guidance Center. Student volunteers will also be trained at the Center during the second week of class. Immediately after the training students will be qualified to provide respite care for the families of the disabled individual.