Maine Parkinson Society Pilot Respite Care Program

The Maine Parkinson Society (MEPS) has long recognized the need for respite care in the Parkinson community and is pleased to announce a pilot program to extend in home respite care to any interested caregiver of a Parkinson person. The Maine Parkinson Society respite funds are intended to assist Parkinson Caregivers by making care giving easier and/or reducing caregiver stress.

In order to access Meps respite care funding, the care recipient must have a diagnosis of Parkinson’s disease and be in need of assistance when at home. The respite service is intended to be “temporary” in nature. Respite care is defined as a short term option to provide temporary time off for the caregiver to rest/renew him/herself from care giver responsibilities.

HOW IT WORKS

• The caregiver must choose a care provider who has staff who has been trained in the special care needs of people with Parkinson’s disease.
• The applicant will complete an application and confidential interview with a Meps advocate.
• To be accepted into the program, the care recipient must hold a diagnosis of Parkinson disease with impairments that necessitate supervision.
• Special requests and special circumstances will be reviewed on an individual basis by the respite care committee.
• Decisions may be appealed to the President of Maine Parkinson Society.

COST

• The program uses a reimbursement model. The caregiver pays for services and receives reimbursement upon submission of receipts, up to the annual limit.
• Funding requests will be reviewed in the order in which they are received and in addition prioritized accordingly to urgency.
• The care recipient may not be eligible for other programs that fund respite care services.
• Respite reimbursement is offered pending funding availability.
• In determining the use of limited funds, priority will be given to care recipients whose caregivers have not accessed Meps funds in the previous year.
• Respite reimbursement is available up to the approved/agreed upon amount, not to exceed $500.00 per care recipient each fiscal year, pending funding availability.
• The responsibility for managing the shared hourly cost for respite care services each week and quality/ satisfaction of the respite care provider rests upon the family caregiver participating in the program.

TRAINED AGENCIES

• Hearthside Senior Assistance 267 Old Stage Road Arrowsic ME 04530 207-443-5748 Home care
• Aging Excellence 326 Main Street Saco ME 04072 207-283-0991 Home care
• Home Instead Senior Care 31 Main Street Gorham ME 04038 207-839-0441 Home care
• Just Friends Inc. 2 Railroad Square Yarmouth ME 04096 207-846-5525 Home care
• Living Innovations 238 North Street Saco ME 04072 207-282-3311 Home care
• Home Partners 136 US Route One Scarborough ME 04074 207-883-0095 Home care
• Atria-Kennebunk One Penny Lane Kennebunk ME 04043 207-985-5866 Facility
• Falmouth House at Oceanview 32 Blueberry Lane Falmouth ME 04105 207-781-4621 Facility
• Huntington Common 3 Hunnington Common Drive Kennebunk ME 04043 207-985-2810 Facility
• Respite Care of Brunswick 45 Baribeau Drive Brunswick ME 04011 207-729-8571 Day Program
• Cadigan Lodge at the Highlands 54 Governor's Way Topsham ME 04086 725-4962
• New England Home Care 412 State Street- Bangor Bangor ME 04401 945-3374
• Help at Home- Kno-Wal-Lin Home Care 170 Pleasant Street Rockland ME 04841 596-0481
• Market Square Health Care Center 3 Market Square South Paris ME 04271 743-7086

HOW TO APPLY

DOWNLOAD APPLICATION HERE - [PDF]

If you are interested in being placed on the list for services, please complete the Respite Care Application and return it to:

The Maine Parkinson Society
5 Bucknam Road, Suite 1A
Falmouth, Maine 04105

Or fax your application to 207-781-1546.