Kinnections Respite Services
Healthy Caregiving Can’t Be Done Alone
There is so much to be done, just to manage day-to-day responsibilities and tasks. Sometimes we need a little help.
Kinnections Respite Services can help you find the right kind of respite and the right caregiver for your family member. We have services that can help children, adults, and seniors with a variety of needs.
Kinnections also provides a wide range of support services for caregivers. When a family member has complex care needs that are higher than the caregiver’s personal energy or resource base, they run the risk of burning out. Caregiver burnout is a state of mental, physical, and emotional exhaustion caused by the prolonged and overwhelming stress of caregiving (helpguide.org).
Trying to manage on your own when your health isn’t co-operating, or continuing to be a caregiver when you are burned out, can cause serious deterioration to your health.
That’s where we come in—we can help you to care for your family member and avoid burnout!
Why is Respite Important?
Respite improves the family’s ability to cope with the emotional, financial, social, and physical challenges that inevitably pop up when caring for a high-needs family member. Competent respite is a critical component of self-care for caregivers, and temporary breaks can build the strength needed to cope with day-to-day challenges. Respite not only improves a family’s well-being; it allows your family member to form new relationships with people outside of their family.
Respite Care Services
Contact us for a free Care Consultation!
What Kind of Respite is Available?
Different families require different supports to deal with caregiving pressure. We understand that life’s challenges are sometimes too much to handle on your own, so our range of supports can be individualized. If you don’t see what you need below, feel free to call us to brainstorm with our Intake Coordinator about your unique family’s needs! What we provide for most of our families includes:
Respite for Children and Youth
Realistically, friends and family can only do so much to help out when your kids have high needs. Your family requires access to consistent care, not just occasional help. Respite supports are often needed to manage the pressures of caregiving. Breaks from caregiving pressure might be hourly supports, overnight care, or out-of-home respite.
Respite for Adults with Special Needs
Parents are typically less able to meet the needs of their adult-children with disabilities or mental health conditions. Not only is it tough to try to sort through what is needed, finding appropriate and available supports can be an enormous challenge.
Kinnections can share some of those care responsibilities. Whether you are looking for mentoring, hourly workers to help build life skills, a supportive roommate arrangement, or someone to monitor independent living–we can work with you to tailor supports for adults with extra needs!
Respite for Adults with Health Issues or Elder Care Needs
Did you know that respite supports can be accessed for any adult with extra care needs? As always, Kinnections will work with you to provide the wrap around support services that you and your family need. Companionship, medication administration, personal care services–the options can be individualized to suit your situation.
Host Homes
Caregivers supporting kids or adults with high needs get exhausted. Host homes act as out-of-home extended placements and as overnight care. Kinnections matches your family with a safe host family to give everyone a break while keeping your family member connected to you.
Center-Based Respite
Beginning in June 2022, the Kinnect House will be open on Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday nights for centre-based staffed respite.
This home is located in South Edmonton.
Life Skills Coaching
Student clinicians in the Network Clinic, and Kinnections respite workers are trained to prove life skills coaching to clients. These coaching sessions can cover a variety of life skills from hygiene and cleanliness, to grocery shopping and riding public transit.
Client Testimonials
How Respite Works
When our Dad is spending time with Shelly, his respite caregiver, the rest of us have a chance to relax and unwind. He loves going out and about with her, and always comes home with stories and smiles. Now Dad has something he looks forward to all week!
Wayne N.
Dealing with our autistic son’s behaviours can be mentally and physically exhausting. Respite gives my husband and I, the break we need to rejuvenate our energy, reconnect as a couple, and be the parents we want to be. When our family is strong, we can help our son to meet his full potential.
Natalie
Our Respite Workers
Kinnections matches your family and special needs family member with a qualified worker who has the right set of skills.
Our caregivers are experienced at working with children and adults with cognitive/physical/mental health vulnerabilities.
Caregivers access supervision and are trained in crisis de-escalation, suicide awareness, and behaviour management techniques.
All caregivers must have the following:
- A clear Criminal Record Check with Vulnerable Sector Checks, and Intervention Record Checks.
- Emergency First Aid.
- Valid drivers license.
In addition, our respite providers:
- Are matched to your family based on your needs as well as the respite provider’s skill-set.
- Can work with their clients’ individual needs, including administering medication.
- Have experience working with families and individuals with special needs.
- Are compassionate, respectful, and believe in the value of strengthening families.
Frequently asked questions
When you use Kinnections, you avoid risk. By letting us manage staffing and supports for your family, concerns about the level of training and lack of supervision are addressed. This includes verifying identity and credentials by conducting background checks, fulfilling tax obligations, acquiring liability insurance, and arranging backup coverage in case of illness or sudden termination. By partnering with Kinnections, your workload diminishes which frees up energy for relationship and peace of mind.
Providers will prepare a service contract that outlines the services to be rendered and the private costs. There is usually no penalty for canceling a contract. There may be a minimum of service hours for each visit. There could also be price adjustments for purchases of large volumes of service.
Caregivers come from all walks of life. Some do the job full-time, either in the client’s home, or operating a Host Home. Some are students who provide early morning, late afternoon, evening and weekend care. Some are older, many are younger.
Be assured that Kinnections will not provide a caregiver who is unable to safely and competently meet the needs of a client. If Kinnections does not have a current caregiver able to meet the needs of a client, we will work to recruit and train someone who can fill that position.
Kinnections recruits, screens and hires appropriate caregivers. We also provide ongoing training to enhance their skill set and increase their awareness of the wide variety of client needs. All caregivers are supervised and are encouraged to discuss any issues with their supervisor. Supervisors are available to problem-solve, and to help think outside the box to meet a client’s individual needs.
Typically, a Kinnections Intake Worker will meet with the client and family to conduct an initial assessment to determine needs. The interview will include a discussion of lifestyle habits, personal care needs, health status and goals. The worker must also meet with the client for whom care will be provided. Based on the interaction, the social worker will be able to recommend the amount and type of service required. If there are any areas that are unclear, the Kinnections worker will take the questions back to their management team, and service options and rates will be clarified.
If any government funded services can be accessed, the worker will work with the family to access such supports. If the care is to be funded privately, the worker will assist the family to explore what services will fit within their financial means.
The professional expertise and other variables influencing the family are important to the determination of services. Once completed, a service agreement and care plan will be developed, and care will initiate based on the agreed upon schedule.
Clients pay for their services when they are booked. For specific rates and billing schedules, please contact the Kinnections office. In some cases, Kinnections can direct bill.
Often, families don’t completely understand what supports they need the most–that’s where we come in. We will work with you to develop a plan that fits your family situation the best.
