The ALS Respite Care Program

Statement of Purpose:

This program is established to provide respite services to the caregiver of an ALS patient who in residing in their home. This program provides up to 68 hours of respite, provided by a home health aide of an approved home care agency, in a twelve month period beginning 2/1/2011 through 1/31/2012.

Eligibility Requirements

Candidates for the ALS Respite Care Program must:

• Have a diagnosis of ALS and reside in the Chapter service area
• Need supervision or assistance with personal care and live at home
• Have applied for county or state funded service (county office of aging or attendant care program) or through the VA (Veterans’ Administration)

This is a program designed to give temporary relief to primary caregivers of ALS patients. The program is designed to afford the caregiver the opportunity to leave the home for a special event. The home health aides can provide custodial care such as bathing, dressing, feeding, and toileting or they can simply provide supervision. They are prohibited from providing skilled or technical care. This would include such things as ventilator care, giving medications, giving injections, utilizing a suction machine and assisting with feeding tubes.

A minimum of two weeks notice to coordinate service is required.

Click here to open a printable version of the Respite Care Application. For more information or for assistance completing the application, contact Wendy Barnes, MSW, LSW at 610-797-2102 or wendy@alsphiladelphia.org