Being a caregiver — a person who contributes to the lives of others — is an enormously rewarding experience. But despite its rewards, when a caregiver responds to the needs of others day in and day out without a break, it most often results in emotional and physical exhaustion for that person.
For family caregivers in northern Colorado with children with developmental delays, that’s where Respite Care, Inc. comes in. Since 1982, they’ve been providing short-term, quality care for these children and respite for their families, enabling everyone in the family to enhance their quality of life.
Executive director Kristi Briles explains that her capable and dedicated team is qualified to provide 24/7 short-term care for infants as young as six weeks, and youth up to age 18. The staff is trained to give medications and gastronomy tube feedings, among a wide range of other health care services, to the children who need them.
Kristi and her team find immense satisfaction in their day-to-day work by simply being in the moment. “Our care specialists transform ordinary, everyday moments into opportunities for joy and human connection, which are evident in the experiences that our children, families, volunteers and community members are witness to,” she says.
As for the impact on families, one Respite Care parent had this to say: We love Respite Care and can’t imagine life without it! We envision our daughter being a part of the Respite family as long as she can. Many people assume places like Respite Care exist all over, and they simply do not. It’s a gem of Larimer County and we are so very grateful to live in a community that values our daughter and what she brings to the world. Respite is integral to her well-being and future independence.
In addition to its specialized health care, Respite Care provides enrichment activities for its kids. From arts and crafts to therapy dogs, special musical events to trips to the Respite garden, the staff at Respite Care create an abundance of opportunities for engagement with volunteers, community members and each other.
“Respite Care itself is a family, and I couldn’t be more proud of the work we do. As the leader of this amazing organization, I feel fortunate daily for the incredible staff, volunteers and community support,” says Kristi. “Alpine Bank has supported our mission by sponsoring our annual fundraising events, attending our community events and taking the time to connect with our staff and volunteers.”
Kristi encourages visitors to tour Respite Care; for tour dates and to sign up, interested individuals and families can reach out to [email protected].
Learn more at respitecareinc.org.
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