MMI representatives attend National Respite Conference

From left, Amberly Connolly, Clarkson College; Jill Kagan, executive director of the ARCH National Respite Resource Center; Ellen Bennett, MMI respite coordinator; Sherri Blome, western respite network coordinator; Sarah Swanson, MMI family support and outreach coordinator; Jolene Johnson, Ph.D., MMI program evaluation; Sharon Johnson, Nebraska DHHS respite coordinator.

From left, Amberly Connolly, Clarkson College; Jill Kagan, executive director of the ARCH National Respite Resource Center; Ellen Bennett, MMI respite coordinator; Sherri Blome, western respite network coordinator; Sarah Swanson, MMI family support and outreach coordinator; Jolene Johnson, Ph.D., MMI program evaluation; Sharon Johnson, Nebraska DHHS respite coordinator.

Faculty and staff from the Munroe-Meyer Institute recently attended the National Respite Conference in Denver to present on projects designed to increase access to respite and evaluate the impact of respite for family caregivers.

Projects included collaborations with Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) staff, faculty from Clarkson College and respite coordinators across the state to improve access to respite/or allow family caregivers to get a break.

Also, conference attendees evaluated respite in Nebraska programs and built awareness of respite for UNMC and Nebraska Medicine employees, thereby increasing the number of respite providers.