January 2019                                                               


REST is booking Train-the-Trainer events for 2019. Registration is closing for January courses. Click here for details.




REST is seeking partners in Bloomingdale Township Illinois to provide respite services to caregivers in need. Grant funding to implement a respite pilot program was made possible through the Bloomingdale Township  
 Mental Health Board. Interested? Contact Lois Sheaffer lsheaffer@restprogram.org.





REST is an evidence-based respite-training program. See our published study.




Gain a strong command of the ten core competencies of respite. Take the REST Essentials online course. See information .




For information, visit:
or contact:
Lois Sheaffer
National Director of REST, at 630.397.5655 ,  
or
Kelly Fitzgerald, National Training Development Manager, at 630.397.5658,

 

Congratulations to winners of the 
REST Challenge!

Happy New Year to the entire REST Nation!  We are excited to see the effect of having REST Companions throughout the country, as caregivers have greater access to a trained respite workforce. In honor of National Family Caregivers Month, REST challenged our trainers and companions to support caregivers through training and service. 

We are pleased to congratulate our Champion REST Companion Keisha Greenlow for providing the most respite hours to caregivers in November!   See more information about the great work Keisha has done, in Nevada below.

REST also wants to thank trainers for participating in our November Challenge to train REST Companions!  Our winner is Kris Blackwell  - see details about the work of Voice of Care, in Illinois below.

State Updates
                             
Texas

 Registration is closing soon for a Train-the-Trainer event that will take place on Jan. 23-24, at Mt. Calvary Lutheran Church, San Antonio, through Voice of Care. Register here


Florida

Master Trainers in Boynton Beach are hosting a Train-the-Trainer course on Jan. 31-Feb. 1. Limited scholarships are available. Register now.

Since launching one year ago, "A Joyful Day" Respite Care at St. Mark by the Sea Lutheran Church, Palm Coast, continues to make a positive impact on caregivers and care receivers in the community. The free weekly four-hour program includes storytelling, crafts, games, music, hot lunch and more.

Lachyn Almonzova, who recently completed a Companion course through the Unicorn Children's Foundation , has started a Best Buddies club at her school, West Boca Raton High School. She was inspired to start the club after taking the REST course, to help students with disabilities make new friends and have the most positive high school experience possible. See a photo here.

Ten Companions were trained on Dec. 4 , through the Sickle Cell Foundation, in Riviera Beach.


Illinois

A Companion course will take place on Jan. 21 , at the Marklund Philip Center, Bloomingdale, to kick off a new volunteer respite pilot program that serves caregivers in the Township. The program was made possible by the Bloomingdale Township Mental Health Board. See details.

Congratulations to Kris Blackwell , executive director of Voice of Care, for training the most REST Companions during the month of November. Kris has made REST training part of Voice of Care's special needs ministries across the country. Recently, Kris worked with the REST team to create a customized version of REST for Faith Communities, as well as for Lutheran Early Response Teams.


  Minnesota

REST Trainer Alicia Truax, respite coordinator for Lutheran Social Service of Minnesota, recently appeared in an ad, highlighting the agency as a Star Tribune Top 150 Workplace in Minnesota. "We help older adults maintain independence and keep them safe in their home as long as possible," Alicia said. "I love working with LSS because of how rewarding it is to support our neighbors. A volunteer can mean the world to someone who is living at home alone." Click here to see the ad.


New York

New York State Caregiving and Respite Coalition is hosting a Train-the-Trainer course on Jan. 9-10, at Ulster County Office for the Aging, in Kingston. Scholarships are available for New York residents. See details.

Broome County Office for the Aging, Binghamton , is offering REST training to college students who then volunteer at Yesteryears, a social adult day program for seniors. The students enjoy a variety of activities with the seniors and assist with serving lunch.

Register today for "Illuminate Respite," the 2019 National Lifespan Respite Conference, which takes place on April 30-May 2, in Buffalo. Click for details.


Nevada

The Nevada Geriatric Education Center and Nevada Aging and Disability Services Division will offer two opportunities to attend the "Supporting the Well-Being of Residents Living with Dementia" Caregiver Conference: on Feb. 7, at the University of Nevada at Las Vegas, and on Feb. 20, at the University of Nevada at Reno. The conference includes a free and optional one-hour pre-conference session, "Become a Dementia Friend; Dementia Friends Nevada." Learn more here.

Nevada Senior Services, in conjunction with the U.S. Administration for Community Living , will host a stakeholder conference on Jan. 15, at the Suncoast Hotel and Casino, Las Vegas. The conference, "Dementia Capable Care Transitions: Navigating Hospital to Home," will allow community partners and stakeholders to discuss solutions for caregivers and individuals living with Alzheimer's disease and other related dementias. Learn more.

Congratulations, Keisha Greenlow, the winner of the 2018 REST Companion Challenge!  Keisha served 215 hours between November 1 and 30, providing respite through  Legacy Home Care , in Las Vegas.


Michigan

Two high schools have been offering the Companion course through the Upper Peninsula Commission for Area Progress, Escanaba . The REST training is offered to students who want to join the workforce after high school. Some have found employment at homecare agencies immediately after graduation.


Massachusetts

REST is collaborating with Massachusetts Councils on Aging and the U.S. Administration for Community Living to finalize a revised caregiver survey. The final edition will be shared upon completion.


Colorado

The Colorado Respite Coalition recently created a free respite navigation guide to help families access caregiver supports in Colorado. The guide includes funding information, how to find quality respite services, and statewide caregiver resources. Learn more here.

REST Program | (630) 397-5655 |   lsheaffer@restprogram.org     http://www.restprogram.org
164 S. Prairie Avenue
Bloomingdale, IL 60108