The Susan & Leonard Feinstein Respite Program Raising children demands a lot of energy and endless emotional reserves; all this is magnified when it comes to raising a child with special needs. Constant worrying, lack of free time and the neglect that the other siblings often suffer is only a fraction of the daily routine for parents of children with special needs. Without the proper balance, the family nucleus is certain to disintegrate. Giving parents a night off is an important tool for restoring health to these overly- stressed families. A more regular life is possible, and all the children become better adjusted.
The Respite Program operates all week long and allows every child in the Afternoon Activity Program to spend one night a week out of the house and a two-night Sabbath weekend once a month. The children and their families know beforehand which night is planned and on what day of the week. In fact, the children even know who their roommates will be and which staff member will be on hand.
Objectives:
- To provide a regular day or weekend off for the child's parents and family members to strengthen family ties
- To teach basic skills for optimum independence
- To promote social skills
- To provide personal supervision and individual advancement programs for each child
- To alleviate day-to-day strain inherent in raising special needs children and, in turn, to delay or even avert the time which the child might need to be transferred to a sheltered housing framework
The goals are twofold: Each participating family gets to enjoy 36 continuous hours of free time (56+ on the monthly weekend) without the guilt that so often accompanies taking a break, secure in the knowledge that their child is enjoying himself and receiving the best possible care. This reprieve enables parents to attend to the needs of the rest of the family, particularly the other children who need them. Subsequently, Shalva's professional staff takes this opportunity to teach the children essential independence skills predominantly in the areas of personal hygiene: brushing teeth, getting dressed, bathing, preparing for bed, making him lunch sandwich, etc. These skills play a key role in reducing the child's dependence on the family.
Weekends
Every child is given the opportunity to sleep at Shalva on one weekend every month. This sleepover plays a very special part in the program: the children are not divided according to their usual afternoon groups but, rather, each child is assigned a staff member who is responsible for him from the moment he enters the building until he departs. During this time, the child's family gets 56 hours of respite.
Weekend activity includes:
- Festive dinners
- Social bonding activities
- Strengthening personal independence skills
- Learning to perform important household activities
- Sharing responsibilities