Nursing In a Tender Environment. What is Respite Care?
Friday NITE Friends provides an invaluable service to families with children with medical and special needs. We believe in the importance of enabling time for families to replenish, build relationships, and for daily tasks that so many of us take for granted. Parents entrust their children to Friday NITE Friends on Friday evenings from 6-10pm in order to have a “respite” from the almost continuous job of providing care for the child.
Who is Eligible for the Friday NITE Friends Program?
Friday NITE Friends applications are accepted from families with children who have medical and special needs, age birth to 13 years old. Once accepted into the program, the children with medical and special needs may stay in the program until they turn 15 years old. Siblings may stay until their 12th birthday.
Please complete the following forms to apply for respite: Respite Care Application, Special Needs Child Information Form, Medical Information form (ONLY IF YOU HAVE A MEDICALLY FRAGILE CHILD), and Sibling Information Form. The Medical Release form will need to be completed and notarized after you are accepted to the program.
Medical Rooms
The children in our medical room have serious health issues and require nursing care. This may include children with feeding tubes, apnea monitors, severe asthma, immune system dysfunction, etc. This room is staffed by nurses and adult volunteers. Admission to the program is by application, based on need.
Special Care Rooms
In addition to the medical room, respite is offered to families of children with special needs, such as Down syndrome, autism, cerebral palsy, etc. Each special care room is staffed by skilled volunteers. Special care families can use the program once every four weeks. Application is required.
Sibling Care
Friday NITE Friends also provides care for the siblings of children with medical and special needs until their 12th birthday. Siblings have the opportunity to play games, watch movies or take part in other age-appropriate activities.
