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Helena’s Diana Tavary credits respite care for enabling her 20-year-old daughter with autism to remain at home. “When our daughter was diagnosed with autism many years ago, our whole world changed,” Tavary said. “Respite care has allowed our daughter to remain at home and also provide much-needed assistance for my family.” Tavary will tell her story as part of a panel that will discuss the need for respite in Montana during the Montana Lifespan Respite Summit on March 9, 2011 from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the Great Northern Hotel.

Caregivers of those with disabilities in half a dozen states may soon have an easier time accessing respite care services, thanks to $1.1 million in grants designed to strengthen such programs. The grants are part of the federal Lifespan Respite Care Program, which provides money to states to coordinate, improve and establish community-based respite care initiatives. Already 24 states are part of the program that was established by Congress in 2006 to help family caregivers of those with special needs. Now, Colorado, Hawaii, Montana, New Jersey, Ohio and Virginia will be added.

Click here to download the flyer (PDF) What: A coordinated system of accessible community-based respite care services for family caregivers of children or adults with special needs.  This includes but is not limited to individuals with developmental disabilities, other disabilities, mental health issues, aging, illness, and child abuse. Who should attend: Representatives from state agencies, statewide organizations, community groups, respite providers, and family caregivers When: March 9, 2011 9:30am - 4:30pm Where: Great Northern Best Western Helena, MT For more information, contact: Doug Blakley, Aging Services/DPHHS at (800) 332-2272 Vicki Clear/DEAP at (800) 224-6034 Register for the Summit at http://www.arch.memberlodge.org/StateSummit

Download the newspaper article here!What:Mission Statement Our mission is to establish a statewide, coordinated system of easily accessible, quality, and affordable respite care services for Montana’s family caregivers of individuals regardless of special needs. Vision StatementThe vision of the Montana Lifespan Respite Coalition is that all family caregivers have access to a quality community-based respite care service that is affordable and flexible to their needs. Please RSVP by February 16, 2012 if you will be attending.When:February 23, 20123:30 pm – 5:00 pmWhere:STEP Conference Room644 Grand Avenue #1Billings, MTContact:Vicki Clear Phone: (406) 234-6034Email: vclear@deapmt.org

GREAT FALLS- Parents of special needs children have a new source for support and rest in Great Falls at the Peace Place Respite Care facility. Paulisha Pryor is one of the people who has benefitted from the service. Her 18 month old daughter Willow suffers from a heart defect, immune deficiency, sclerosis and developmental disabilities, requiring extra attention from Paulisha to properly care for her daughter.

When parenting a child with special needs, moments of respite are few and far between — just ask Michelle Patterson, co-creator of the new Peace Place respite care center at First Presbyterian Church.

Overall, researchers found that families dealing with aggressive behavior struggled with social isolation, concerns about the safety of people and property, lack of respite care and limited professional supports as well as the added expense of repairs and home modifications. What’s more, the families were concerned about being able to find alternate housing for their child with autism as they aged, according to the study published online this month in the journal Focus on Autism and Other Developmental Disabilities. Though the study was small, researchers behind the report emphasized that little has been done to understand the daily experiences of families coping with autism and aggression. Their findings suggest that there’s far too little support for individuals with aggressive tendencies and those affected by them.

Autism on the Seas has been in collaboration with Royal Caribbean International since 2007 in developing cruise vacation services to accommodate adults and families living with children with Special Needs, including, but not limited to, Autism, Asperger Syndrome, Down Syndrome, Tourette Syndrome, Cerebral Palsy and all Cognitive, Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities.  These services quickly expanded to other cruise lines.   We provide Cruises with our Staff (selected from regular cruises throughout the year) that assist adults and families in accommodating the typical cruise services, as well as providing specialized Respite and Private Activities/Sessions that allow our guests the use of the ships entertainment venues in an accommodated and assisted manner. Our professional Staff (educated, experienced, background checked and sanctioned by the cruise lines) accompanies you on your cruise to provide these amazing vacation and travel experiences onboard Royal Caribbean, Celebrity, Disney and Carnival Cruise Lines. We also provide a "Cruise Assistance Package" (Cruises without our Staff) on all of the major Cruise Lines to help accommodate guests who wish to cruise on their own. 

This fall, a fancy new place opened in Vienna that will give him that level of care for $75 a night. Called Jill's House, it boasts a swimming pool, gym, music room, art center, suites with bejeweled ceilings that look like outer space and a playground so cool, I'd call it Seven Flags. There's a ceiling track that snakes from the bed to the bath, so that a guest can be carried, via sling, for bathing. There's the indoor-outdoor lock system, in case a guest bolts. Picture cards all over the place let the guests point to food, water or a toilet if they can't articulate a need. The indoor swimming pool, surrounded by Bahamian decor, has water-proof wheelchairs, a ramp, a sling and one lifeguard for every guest.