Providing full-time care for someone with mental health problems can be fulfilling, but it can also be hard work and leave you feeling exhausted and isolated. This is where our respite services can help. At St John of God Accord, we focus on offering people with a disability, interesting and positive experiences whilst their carer/family have a meaningful break from their normal day to day caring responsibilities.
If you care for someone every day, you can end up feeling as though you have no time for yourself. 'Respite' means ' taking a break' . . . which is what our service provides for carers like you.
Our Direct Support Professionals are qualified and take pride in their role at St John of God Accord. Our teams work cooperatively and effectively to offer you the best quality and practical help and support possible to ensure that you as a carer get some time off from the daily routine and pressures of care-giving, while feeling confident that our team can provide the professional and respectful care you expect.
We recognise the importance of Respite. Taking a break from the pressure of supporting someone who depends on you can prevent you from becoming over-tired, stressed, resentful or depressed.
Our respite services can be used on a regular basis – however happy you are to be a carer – we can offer you on-going support to re-energise yourself and enable yourself to look after the person in your care far more effectively. At St John of God Accord we take pride in a service that is designed to help both you the carer and the individual you support. This builds up the individual’s confidence and independence, and builds new relationships with other people already enrolled in our programs. You can meet other carers like yourself through our services. Building that community and engaging with others who provide such support is valuable to no end.
We place great importance on paying particular attention to the needs of the individual and the compatibility of people using this service, so that social, leisure and recreational opportunities can be maximised.
The service is available to people with a disability, aged between 6 - 64 years who live at home supported by family or a carer and reside in the Northern suburbs of Melbourne.
Referrals are available by contacting the service or email us on the details below.
Planned Respite services are available on weekdays, weekends and holiday periods and include both day and overnight respite opportunities. To assist carers/families, transport is provided to and from the home, school or other services/facilities. A nominal fee is charged for activities, transport and meals.
We provide support for as long as you need it. The maximum amount of time each person can get varies between about four and ten hours a week. The amount of support you receive is reviewed regularly and dependant on the funding package each individual has (affordability).
The service can be withdrawn if a Direct Support Professional experiences mistreatment such as insulting or discriminatory behaviour, threats or physical violence from either the Support Professional or the person being cared for.
