UAMS Schmieding Program to Provide Free Respite Training for Volunteer Caregivers in Fort Smith
| LITTLE ROCK — The Schmieding Home Caregiver Training Program, a program of the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS), is offering free Respite Volunteer Training on July 27 in Fort Smith.
The all-day training session will be held 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the UAMS West Central Center on Aging, 612 S. 12th St. The training is in-person, and pre-registration is required.
For more information, please call 479-478-8635. All CDC guidelines will be followed including health screenings, face masks and social distancing. Space is limited.
The training is held in cooperation with the Arkansas Lifespan Respite Coalition. The coalition’s research has shown 90% of Arkansas caregivers do not receive respite services, which can be provided in-home or out-of-home in health care facilities, day centers or camps. Across the nation, there are 53 million American caregivers, 85% of whom do not receive any respite services. Even the best of the best caregivers need a temporary break to care for themselves.
Using the evidence-based Respite Education & Support Tools (REST) curriculum, the session will provide unique, interactive training to help participants be confident and successful when providing assistance to those in need. The training is geared toward community and faith-based groups, family caregivers and volunteer groups.
In addition, seven hours of continuing education units are available to nursing home administrators who attend. This course is supported in part by a grant to the Arkansas Department of Human Services from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration of Aging.
UAMS is the state’s only health sciences university, with colleges of Medicine, Nursing, Pharmacy, Health Professions and Public Health; a graduate school; hospital; a main campus in Little Rock; a Northwest Arkansas regional campus in Fayetteville; a statewide network of regional campuses; and seven institutes: the Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute, Jackson T. Stephens Spine & Neurosciences Institute, Harvey & Bernice Jones Eye Institute, Psychiatric Research Institute, Donald W. Reynolds Institute on Aging, Translational Research Institute and Institute for Digital Health & Innovation. UAMS includes UAMS Health, a statewide health system that encompasses all of UAMS’ clinical enterprise including its hospital, regional clinics and clinics it operates or staffs in cooperation with other providers. UAMS is the only adult Level 1 trauma center in the state. U.S. News & World Report named UAMS Medical Center the state’s Best Hospital; ranked its ear, nose and throat program among the top 50 nationwide; and named six areas as high performing — COPD, colon cancer surgery, heart failure, hip replacement, knee replacement and lung cancer surgery. UAMS has 2,876 students, 898 medical residents and four dental residents. It is the state’s largest public employer with more than 10,000 employees, including 1,200 physicians who provide care to patients at UAMS, its regional campuses, Arkansas Children’s Hospital, the VA Medical Center and Baptist Health. Visit www.uams.edu or www.uamshealth.com. Find us on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube or Instagram.