Respite Care: A Community Needs Survey

Adult respite care has been defined as a range of in-home and institutional services that temporarily relieve care givers of frail elderly people allowing them to continue caring for the elderly at home. Care givers are spouses, siblings, adult children, neighbors, or friends. This study was conducted at a visiting nurse association located in a Midwestern city. A survey with 29 items was developed for this study and was mailed to a sample of 180 care givers. Ninety surveys (50%) were returned. Our findings supported the literature describing care givers and their role. Our respondents received certain needed services and desired others. Significant correlations were obtained using levels of dependence, expressed concern, and demographics as variables. The survey should be useful in planning a range of services to meet the expressed interests and needs of care givers in our community.