Respite services expanded in N.W.T.

Families caring for relatives with intellectual and physical disabilities in Yellowknife are seeing an expansion to a program giving them a much-needed break every week.

The Yellowknife Association for Community Living is expanding its two-year-old respite care program.

The pilot project, which was funded this fiscal year by $187,000 from the territorial government., was made permanent in November. Now the number of families served will almost double, when nine new families join the program.

In a respite program, a trained worker takes a person with disabilities on outings for up to 10 hours a week, on evenings or weekends.

Kim Hjemeland, whose 15-year-old son Jared is unable to speak and has physical impairments, says respite helps her family.

"It relieves a bit of stress from us as a family, as a unit, especially the younger children that always feel that Jared takes priority," she says.

Jared's worker, John Cain, says the teen benefits from the time he can spend at the pool and other activities.

"I think it gives him the benefit of being away from the family for a couple of hours, and I think that's good for him because he's focussed on them all the time," he says. "He's either at school or with the family, so it gives him a little break."

Jane Whyte, who runs the Yellowknife Association for Community Living, says the program gives families a much-needed break.

"The feedback from the families has been absolutely tremendous," she says. "Families talked about being able to spend time with their other children. Couples talked about being able to spend time together, separate from the individual with the disability."

The YACL is training five new workers this week, and accepting applications for new families to access the program.

(with notes from Cindy MacDougall)