Alabama Respite is pleased to announce that the results are in from a survey of Alabama Family Caregivers conducted by the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) and its Center for Educational Accountability (CEA) as part of a contract with Alabama Department of Senior Services (ADSS).  The results of this survey reveal current services and unmet needs for caregiver respite.

877 caregivers completed a Survey of Family Caregivers about Respite Services.  Caregivers in this survey noted several important ways that respite helps their families, including: Attending to Family Caregiver’s Needs; Helping with Activities of Daily Living; Caring for Others in the Family; Providing Financial Assistance to Pay for Respite; and Caregiver Continuing Education. One caregiver noted in the survey, “Without respite services, I would be in a mental hospital and my family would have fallen apart. My respite caregiver is a lifesaver and she loves my child.”

According to the survey, caregivers were most likely to request respite for three major reasons: to relieve caregiver stress; to care for themselves; or to improve their relationship with a spouse or partner. 

Despite the recognized benefits of respite care services, the survey confirms that accessing services when needed continues to be a problem.  239 caregivers from the survey sample were unable to find respite services when needed on three or more occasions.  Sixty-five could not find respite services on two occasions when needed.  45% of 741 said that the most recent respite service was not enough to meet their needs.

78% of caregivers responded that if caregiver respite services were not available, they would feel, “extremely or moderately stressed.”

There remains a need for additional respite services, funding, and trained respite providers. 

The full report is available as a pdf download on our website.  Go to Forms and Publications - Guides, Manuals, & Presentations - Survey of Family Caregivers Results.