Theme:  RESPITE: Create It!”  is a call for us to come together to showcase the creative ways in which Respite Care is delivered throughout the nation.  As a valuable and cost effective tool, Respite has proven to be a source of wellness, a provider of peace of mind, and an opportunity for the caregiver to be rejuvenated and to experience an improved quality of life – even if it is only for a limited time.  ”RESPITE:  Create It!”  is a reminder that Respite is holistic in nature and, thereby, is an individual need, a family need, and a community need.  The community may be a neighborhood, a county, a state, or the country.  Respite is an important issue for the caregiver and must be addressed by everyone directly participating in creating innovative initiatives designed to promote satisfactory results.  Respite for the caregiver requires advocates, policy makers and all concerned stakeholders to gather around the same table.  Considerations must be made for cultural diversity in our population and how it impacts on caregiving within the parameters of differing traditions.  The theme for this conference is an imaginative fountain filled with creative ideas and solutions.

Target Audience: This conference is intended for everyone who supports family members and caregivers of individuals across the Lifespan.  Everyone who is affected by life altering conditions due to illnesses, (i.e. Alzheimer’s disease, mental illness, developmental disabilities, Parkinson’s, ALS, autism, HIV, AIDS, multiple sclerosis, etc.), has a stake in this significant issue.  Parents, family members, spouses, life partners, older adults, grandparents, guardians, social workers, case managers, program managers, doctors, nurses, advocates, direct support staff, teachers, insurers, policy makers, faith leaders and business and community leaders influence how Respite takes shape.

 

Topics: We are looking for Presentation Proposals which cross over multiple disciplines, reflecting the wide range of creative ingenuity utilized by family caregivers across the Lifespan. Prior conference evaluations have indicated specific interest in the following areas: respite consortiums that achieve results, developing trusting relationships, sibling issues (possibly presented as a sibling panel), respite for male caregivers, faith based and volunteer respite, kinship respite care, consumer directed respite, employee/employer/work-life issues, compassion fatigue, cultural diversity in respite service delivery, emergency respite including crisis nurseries, grant writing, legislative leadership and advocacy related to improving Respite Care opportunities and funding, and aspects of health and wellness across the lifespan that impact caregivers and the individuals who receive care.

 

Priority will be given to topics related to Lifespan Respite State Implementation including the roles of ADRCs and other Lifespan Respite stakeholders, training and recruitment of respite workers and volunteers, building and sustaining state respite coalitions, innovative funding mechanisms, constructing respite registries and data bases and respite research and evaluation.

Presentation Formats: The conference will offer 90-minute time slots for breakout sessions. Presentations that may need additional time will be considered if the material presented indicates an intensive topic area. Note this on the Application Form. They can be offered as a continuation of the Morning Session to be concluded in the Afternoon Session. Handouts are recommended. Presenters are encouraged to incorporate the Conference Theme in the presentation. Please think of creative ways to inform, engage and energize the workshop audience.

In addition to the standard workshop format described above, opportunities for respite coalitions to develop mini forums, roundtable discussions and to network and exchange ideas will be welcomed and encouraged.

 

Complete a separate Application Form for each proposed Presentation Session. Include all requested information. Incomplete applications will not be considered.  A maximum of three presenters may be included for each proposed session.

 

• Title and description of session
• Three learning objectives
• Audio-visual equipment needs and/or other special requests

• Practical applicability to the conference theme “RESPITE: Create It!” 
• Relevance to the interest of conference participants
• Clarity and coherence of the session description and plan
• Usefulness of the information, skills, and/or ideas for the intended audience
• Contributions to new or innovative practices
• Intent to stimulate active engagement of participants
• Presenter’s qualifications and experience
• Use of instructional aids
• Relevance to diversity and cultural challenges

We reserve the right to request modifications to a proposal before a final decision is made.

 

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TEAM 2010 MRCC Participants
Click here for the MRCC 2010 TEAM Contacts

TEAM 2010 National Participants

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