Respite available to both caregivers and elderly
Campers get one-on-one attention from volunteers
For caregivers of the frail elderly, a respite can mean taking a few days off from their responsibilities to go on vacation. For some caregivers in Connecticut, though, a respite can mean sending their elderly charges on a vacation of their own.
Every spring and fall, a group of frail, older adults who need 24-hour-a-day care and who live in their own homes or with relatives or friends, heads to the Hemlocks Recreation Center in Hebron, CT, for a weekend of recreational activities and learning. The camp also is held for a week during the summer.
Some of these adults have never been away from their caregivers, says Gayle Kataja, regional director of Connecticut Community Care (CCCI) in Hartford. CCCI is a private, nonprofit organization in Bristol that helps older adults and disabled individuals and their families find solutions to long-term care problems through case management services.
The Hemlocks Recreation Center is a 160-acre facility designed to meet the needs of disabled people. Each "camper" is matched with a trained volunteer, such as a student of nursing or physical therapy. All activities are supervised by specialists, and a medical staff is on duty at all times.
One gentleman who attended the camp was a concentration camp survivor who was extremely resistant to leaving his caregiving wife, Kataja recalls. "[His wife] desperately needed a break. He went for a week and had one of the best times he’s ever had."
The fee for the retreats is $200 per person, which includes lodging, meals, recreational activities, and supervision. Scholarships may be available, depending on the individual’s financial situation.
[Editor’s note: For more information about the retreat, call CCCI at (860) 571-7345.]
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