Direct Respite Services

Direct Respite Services has been developed and maintained alongside the Commonwealth Carer Respite and Carelink Centre outlets within the Brisbane North region and more recently the Wide Bay Region with the capability of responding to a request for service within a reasonable timeframe including emergency episodes.

Direct Respite Services field staffs have an established high level of service standards and consequently, are brokered by many community based organizations as requested to provide respite, personal care and domestic assistance and home and garden maintenance demonstrating the organizations flexibility and professionalism within the broader community services sector.

For the past ten years, respite services have been provided by Direct Respite Services through Commonwealth/Federal Government funding previously the Commonwealth Respite for Carer’s Program and now as part of the National Respite for Carers Program.

The target groups to which respite can be provided consist of:

• people with dementia
• dementia and challenging behavior
• frail older Australians
• younger people with moderate, severe or profound disabilities who are living at home
• people with terminal illness in need of palliative care.
• special services for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders and those with Culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds
• Department of Veteran Affairs entitled persons

Our services include:

• In home day respite provided by a respite worker in the Clients home.

• In home overnight respite enabling the Client/Carer to take a break in the home and sleep, or leave the premises.

• Centre based Cottage Respite, for example, at Dorney House or Boronia Cottage facility where several care recipients with similar care needs are appropriately cared for, on a regular basis.

• Overnight Community Respite providing Cottage style respite to a group of care recipients with similar care needs, 7 days a week  providing Carers with a break of up to 6 days or on a regular basis.

• Domestic and gardening assistance, respite and personal care, Provider, as required under Tender from Department of Veteran’s Affairs.

• Host family options with a similar service, in a suitable home with a care worker, either in a group of singularly.

• Community access/outings individual or group for care recipients, accompanied by respite workers on outings appropriate to their needs, in lieu of respite in other settings.

• Respite needs for Carers of persons with a mental illness who require assistance in addition to  the Recovery Australia Program.

• Emergency 24 hour respite when the Carer is incapacitated, or in crisis requiring care for the care recipient.

Professional, qualified staffs provide support through temporary care to relieve the Carers so that they can go about their lives in a normal way or attend recreational pursuits they may not normally be able to access due to the commitments of their caring role.
The aim is to ensure the Carers health is well maintained so they can continue to perform their daily routine of caring for their family member or friend at home on an ongoing basis.

Overall, this is possible through the provision of a 24 hour telephone service covering the CR&CC Centre outlets and boundaries. Direct Respite Services is funded to, and has the capacity to respond to emergency needs on a 24 hour basis and to do so in the time-frames required.

Direct Respite Services provide services under the National Respite for Carers and Veterans Home Care Programs and guidelines, both Australian Government initiatives.

Direct Respite Services is a certified under Disability Services Queensland and AS/ANZ ISO9001:2000

The philosophy of The National Respite for Carers Program is:

“to advocate, coordinate and improve assistance for Carers, while making respite accessible and responsive to the Carers’ needs and the right of individuals to be self-determining, when they require ‘time out’ from their carer role”

As part of Suncares regional services, Direct Respite Services has this specific mission.

This program provides a mix of flexible respite care services to meet individual needs of carers and the needs of the person they care for. The target group for these direct services is carers of people who are frail aged with significant care needs, or carers of people of any age who have a physical or mental disability, terminal or long-term illness or dementia.

To contact us for further information Freecall on 1800 059 059* (*except from mobiles)

Residential Respite services:

Dorney House is a supported accommodation facility where Carers or those that they care for can take a break in a pleasant household setting with trained adult support at hand. All disabilities are catered for.

Situated on Sugar Road at Maroochydore on the picturesque Sunshine Coast, the facility is named after Dr Dorney in recognition of his long-term contributions to the development of Suncoast COTA (now Suncare Community Services Inc) both as a Committee Member and as an individual.

Cottage Respite is also available on Bribie Island at Boronia Cottage, Glasshouse Mountains at Coochin hills, in Noosa and in locations across Central Queensland including South Wide Bay. All can cater for individual and group respite on a short or medium term basis. It provides an important interim accommodation and does not require an ACAT assessment.

Bookings and enquiries can be made through our 1800 059 059 number.

Support, Information and Advocacy

Where required, Carers are offered assistance with not only respite but also understanding and managing situations, behaviours and relationships associated with a persons need for care and/or the caring role, including advocacy and the provision of advice, information and training. This confidential service is provided by qualified staff with specific understanding of the needs of Carers and their families in difficult decision-making times.

Mental Health Specific Services

We provide support for persons experiencing a mental illness in assisting them to resume life in the community through a number of programs including on a one to one basis and/or at their place of residence.

Kirk Foundation ‘Recovery’ Program – Mental Health program

The program called ‘Recovery’ Australia provides a series of educational events that encourage participants to learn and discover the reality of recovery from mental illness. The ‘Recovery’ Program is not a treatment but may supplement the treatment being received by other mental health providers. ‘Recovery’ Australia provides a number of one day events, adventure based events, residential recovery retreats and leadership events.

Through the Kirk foundation, Direct Respite Services are funded to run the ‘Recovery’ Program on the Sunshine Coast in addition to supporting carer groups for those caring for persons experiencing a mental illness.

For further information on the Recovery Program Phone 1800 059 059 for newsletter and bookings.

Veterans Affairs Home Care services

Direct Respite Services is an approved Department of Veterans Affairs Veterans Home Care provider for In home respite, domestic assistance and home and garden maintenance on the Sunshine Coast.

When you ring Veterans Home Care on 1300 550 450 you can ask that we, Direct Respite Services at Maroochydore, provide the quality service that meets your needs if you live in the area. Be assured the services provided by Direct Respite Services are similar to those of the main DVA VHC program but are separately managed and staffed.

Volunteers

Volunteer assistance is vital for smooth, efficient running of the Suncare Community Services programs including Direct Respite Services ‘Grey Mates’.
We have volunteers who assist us in many ways - shopping, social support such as just visiting a carer at home and having a cuppa and a chat or providing a little support with getting to appointments etc.

Direct Respite Service supports a ‘visiting service’ for those who are isolated in their home or residence. The program is called GREY MATES, where volunteers, screened to ensure integrity, are carefully matched to their person who may be requiring visits in order to ensure a pleasant event will occur on a regular basis.

If you wish to be on the visit list or want to be a GREYMATE please phone 1800 059 059 and ask to speak to the Grey Mates volunteer coordinator.

See the Volunteers Page for more information about voluntary assistance to this    and other programs managed by Suncare Community Services Inc. as we greatly value their support.

Administration and funding

The Direct Respite Services program is supported by funding from the Commonwealth Department of Health and Ageing National Respite for Carers Program, the Kirk Foundation, State Mental Health Branch and Commonwealth Department of Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs. Direct Respite Services aims to provide all services in a flexible way in direct response to a person’s individuals needs.

To contact us for further information Freecall on 1800 059 059* (*except from mobiles)