A new county program is now offering relief to those caring for local residents with Alzheimer's disease and other forms of dementia.
The program, called Respite Voucher Program, provides family members who need a break with a voucher to cover half the cost of hiring a fill-in caregiver, according to San Diego County Board of Supervisors Chairwoman Dianne Jacob.
Jacob started the program.
The initiative is run by two local groups, Southern Caregiver Resource Center and Coast Care Partners, which provide respite services, support, and counseling.
“As the number of San Diegans with Alzheimer’s disease grows, so does the strain on many families as they struggle to help their loved one deal with this devastating illness,” Jacob said. “Caring for a mother or father with dementia takes its own mental and physical toll, and this new initiative is one way we can help them recharge.”
The purpose is to provide relief to caregivers who are not eligible for in-home care and don’t have the means themselves to pay for respite care.
“This public/private cost-sharing respite partnership will afford family caregivers with an opportunity to obtain new and/or additional respite care at a reduced cost – only paying for 50 percent of the service unit cost; thus, providing financial relief that will help offset the stress of caregiving,” said Roberto Velasquez, executive director of the Southern Caregiver Resource Center.
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According to the County of San Diego, more than 84,000 county residents have Alzheimer's or another type of dementia, making it the region’s third leading cause of death.
For more information on the new voucher program, visit the county’s website.
