NYSCRC Mini Grant Recipient Opens New Respite Program in Franklin County

Helpful Haven Respite Center in Malone, NY, opened its doors earlier this month to support caregivers in the North Country. This free, weekly program provides caregivers a much-needed break while ensuring that their loved one enjoys a safe, engaging, and supportive environment. The program is located at St. Andre Bessette Outreach Center,12 Homestead Park, Malone, NY 12953 and operates every Wednesday from 10 AM to 5 PM. Please share with your networks, family, and friends. To register, contact Joelle Lamica at (518) 651-2945 or malonerespite@rcdony.org

Helpful Haven resides in one of the six counties served by the Caregiver Wellness & Respite Center (CWRC). The CWRC supports family caregivers in the North Country (Clinton, Essex, Franklin, Hamilton, Warren, and Washington counties), providing training, education, resources, supportive community groups, and respite vouchers. Vouchers are available statewide. For more information about RESPITE VOUCHERS, please contact Rebecca Hyde at rhyde@lifespan-roch.org

The CWRC, in conjunction with SUNY Adirondack Healthcare Pathways and the NYS Office for the Aging, will hold a Caregiver Simulation on Friday, March 28, 2025 at SUNY Adirondack in Queensbury, NY. This is the perfect event for case managers, health professionals, students considering or in a health-related field, social workers, employers and supervisors, new professionals as well as seasoned professionals involved in social services, policy making, faith communities, and more.

Have you have a chance to tune in to Mary's podcasts?
Her interviews provide insightful perspectives on caregiving.

I just finished an excellent article by Connie Baher, “How to Love Being a Caregiver: A Valentine.” What do you do when “you've run right through all the love you had and are driving on empty?” She speaks so honestly about how hard and long and frustrating caregiving can be, all the while knowing that you will fail to restore your loved one to the person he/she had been. As we approach Valentine’s Day and the celebration of love, I have been thinking about love, its many dimensions, and its role in caregiving.
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Respite Programs Seeking AmeriCorps Seniors Members

Training for three respite programs gets underway in February and March. A stipend and mileage reimbursement are available for those volunteers who are income eligible. Fingerprinting and a background check are required. For more information or to register for training, please contact Volunteer Coordinator Renee William at rwilliams@lifespan-roch.org or 585-645-8973 or register here.

Tompkins County:
Training for a new respite program in Slaterville Springs begins this month at the Slaterville Fire Hall. Individuals 55 and older who are interested in becoming an AmeriCorps Seniors Member should mark their calendars for the following training dates (lunch is included).

Tuesday, February 25, from 10 AM - 3 PM
Tuesday, March 4, from 10 AM - 3 PM
Tuesday, March 11, from 10 AM - 3 PM

The respite program is set to launch on Tuesday, March 18. It will be open on Tuesdays, from 10 AM-2 PM, at the Fire Hall — a weekly opportunity for family caregivers to get a break.

Jefferson County:
Training for respite programs in Jefferson County are scheduled for March at the Trinity Episcopal Church in Watertown. AmeriCorps Seniors members will be placed in Watertown or Clayton at one of the Respite Haven sites currently operated by the Jefferson County Office for the Aging. Individuals 55 and older who are interested in becoming an AmeriCorps Seniors member should mark their calendars for the following training dates (lunch is included).

Thursday, March 6, from 10 AM - 3 PM
Thursday, March 13, from 10 AM - 3 PM
Thursday, March 20, from 10 AM - 3 PM

Old Enough to Care

Young Adult Caregivers (YAC) are those between 18 and 25 years of age, providing unpaid care to a family member or friend. Most transitioning to adulthood face choices around continuing their education, finding work, or perhaps relocating. For YAC’s, however, there is so much more to consider. Here is the caregiving story of young couple Dakota and Jordyn, as shared on National Public Radio.

Tune into NYS Legislature Fiscal Hearing

A Joint Legislative Public Hearing on Governor Hochul’s proposed 2025 budget on Human Services will be available to view February 12, 2025, at 9:30 AM. View live or watch later.

Help for those Saddled with Healthcare Costs

In January, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) finalized a rule that will remove an estimated $49 billion in medical bills from the credit reports of roughly 15 million Americans. "This groundbreaking step supports financial stability for family caregivers and millions of Americans burdened by medical debt," according to the National Alliance for Caregiving (NAC). For more details, you can read NAC's statement.

Inclusive Tourism

In her beautiful Scottish accent, Kerry Donaghy of Shared Care Scotland describes how she and her staff have built a strong and positive relationship with the country’s tourism industry through a "respitality" initiative. The initiative has allowed them to offer short breaks through the hospitality, tourism, and leisure sector to unpaid caregivers within Scotland. A recording of the January 28th webinar can be found here at the ARCH National Respite Network and Resource Center.

New Resources for Caregivers of those with PTSD

Caring for a loved one with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) comes with a host of unique challenges. To support these caregivers, the Caregiver Action Network (CAN) recently launched a new tool, A Guide for Supporting a Loved One with PTSD. Find the guide here.

Peer-to-peer Online Support Group for Victims of Fraud and Scams

Losing money, sometimes a lot of money, via fraud and scams can be traumatizing. Lifespan of Greater Rochester, Inc. is currently hosting a weekly peer-to-peer support group for victims of fraud and scams each Tuesday at 10 AM via Zoom or phone. Participants can remain anonymous. For more information call Lifespan at 585-626-0250, or email fraudnetwork@lifespanrochester.org.

• The Caregiver Wellness & Respite Center, along with SUNY Adirondack Healthcare Pathways and they NYS Office for the Aging, are hosting a Caregiver Simulation on Friday, March 28, 2025 from 9 AM to 12 PM at SUNY Adirondack, Queensbury, NY. The simulation is designed to create an environment that includes the many challenges and rewards of being an informal caregiver. Learn more and register

• The 2025 National Lifespan Respite Conference, RAISE and Engage – Launch Respite Now, will be held April 1-3, 2025, at the Westin Huntsville in Huntsville, AL., in collaboration with Alabama Lifespan Respite. The conference program is now available. Learn more on the conference website. Early registration ends March 1!

• The NYS E-MDT Initiative has released an Elder Abuse E-MDT Funding Opportunity for the Hudson Valley Region (Dutchess, Orange, Rockland, Sullivan, and Ulster Counties). This statewide Elder Abuse Interventions and E-MDT initiative is coordinated through a partnership including the NYS Office for the Aging (NYSOFA), NYS Office of Victim Services (NYS OVS), Lifespan of Greater Rochester, and Center for Elder Abuse Solutions at Weill Cornell Medicine. The successful applicant will contract with Lifespan as a subrecipient of state/federal funding from NYSOFA and NYS OVS. Applications are available here. Application deadline is Mon, March 3, 2025 at 11:59 p.m. All questions regarding the RFA should be directed in writing to Denise Shukoff, dshukoff@lifespan-roch.org.

Want to add your organization to the NY Connects Resource Directory? 

Use this link to make your request. Please note, the entity must provide a service to caregivers, including but not limited to respite care. There are additional inclusion/exclusion criteria—your request will be reviewed by the local NY Connects program for inclusion in the resource directory. To learn more, call: 1-800-342-9871 or visit www.nyconnects.ny.gov