Key Findings: Phase I (2000–2003)
Caregiver Voice
- Caregivers want to be partners in care. They want to develop relationships with health care providers.
- They want to work with professional health care providers to plan and deliver care. They want their knowledge and understanding of family members' and friends' care to be recognized, respected and valued.
Caregiver Choice
- The same strategies will not work for everyone.
- Caregivers often need support to choose what will provide respite for them. They may also need support to find support!
Respite as Outcome
- Information is necessary, but not enough, to create respite for caregivers.
- The information must lead to access to supports that meet caregivers' needs and situations.
- Programs need to respond to the priorities and needs of both caregivers and care receivers.
- Caregivers feel relief when they know that the needs of the family members and friends they care for are being met through quality care and enjoyable activities.
- Respite does not need to be expensive.
- Caregivers often want supports and recognition that do not cost much.
We will continue to develop:
- Our knowledge about respite, and
- New tools to share this knowledge with you.
Please return to this site periodically to learn more about our ongoing work.