Senior News June, 2001 Vol. 20. No.  6

 

Published by the Humboldt Senior Resource Center in Eureka, California. HSRC is a non-profit community-based organization offering services for senior citizens, multi-generational families and caregivers.

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Caregivers to receive help
by Donna Chambers

The Humboldt Senior Resource Center has been awarded $412,000 to develop and implement a Caregiver Registry. Sandi Fitzpatrick, executive director of the Area Agency on Aging, made the grant announcement at a recent press conference. The Registry is a component of the Area Agency's three-year Caregiver Support Project (CSP) funded primarily by a grant from The California Endowment, the state's largest health foundation.

The desire to live independently is common to elders and younger people with disabilities. "Often the biggest challenge in continuing to live at home is finding someone to provide the necessary assistance," said Fitzpatrick. "The Caregiver Registry will be a long anticipated answer for the many older adults, their families and younger adults with disabilities who require support to continue to live in a home environment."

The centralized Registry will list care providers available to be hired by people looking for in-home help. Registry services will include a variety of professional supports to the independent care providers listed with it as well as information and assistance to people interested in employing independent care providers.

The Humboldt Senior Resource Center (HSRC) is gearing up to start the Registry, said Mary Beth Wolford, executive director. "The center is pleased to be the recipient of this two-and-a-half year subcontract to implement the Registry. We look forward to working with the Area Agency on Aging and others in the community to assure the highest standards of care are met with the new program."
During the course of the grant, three sites will be established. The Eureka site will be located at the County Department of Health and Human Services Adult Services Branch, 808 E Street Eureka. Additional sites will be located in southern and eastern Humboldt County. Dick Johnson has been hired by HSRC to serve as the Registry manager. For more information on the Registry call 707-443-4363.
To list with the Registry, care providers will be asked to complete the CSP's caregiver training course and to go through a standard intake and screening process. The Registry will also be open to home health aides and licensed nurses.

Caregiver trainings are open to all caregivers, including family members, as well as anyone interested in working as an in-home care provider. The course teaches practical skills used in caring for someone in the home as well as information on a variety of topics of interest to care providers. Courses are being offered in various locations throughout Humboldt County. For information on Humboldt County trainings, call Bella Holmes at 442-3763 ext. 218. A similar caregiver training course will also be offered in Del Norte County through an agreement with College of the Redwoods and Rural Human Services. For information on the Del Norte class, call Susan Rossiter at 707-464-7441 ext. 252.
The Area Agency on Aging administers the Caregiver Support Project with ongoing input from the County of Humboldt, nonprofit and private sector providers, academic institutions and local foundations. It is the partnership between county government and a nonprofit consortium that is unique in the state.

"Supervisor Bonnie Neely and Phillip Crandall, director of Humboldt County Health and Human Services Department, have both been instrumental to the success of the Caregiver Support Project," said Fitzpatrick.

Donna Chambers is the director of contract services at the Area Agency on Aging and is responsible for the overall supervision of the Caregiver Support Project.