R Wave Respite





Providing care partners a break
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About R Wave

R Wave Respite is a community ministry hosted by Aldersgate United Methodist Church in Durham, NC. The goal of the program is to allow respite for care partners of community friends living with mild to moderate dementia. The respite also benefits the loved ones with a break from the care partner, and affords volunteers a faith based purpose. This is a community ministry, we welcome everyone.

There is an active support group for care partners that is hosted by a certified dementia consultant. The support group meets concurrent to the respite, and is not limited to care partners of respite participants. Free!

Participants are socially engaged. The program consists of mentally stimulating games, light exercise, arts/crafts, community service projects, fun active games, karaoke and dancing. A hot lunch is served.
There is a $50 per day fee, prepaid monthly. No one will ever be turned away due to financial reasons!
Daphne Johnston, Founder of Respite for All, First United Methodist Church, Montgomery, AL in 2012.

Why Respite

R Wave Respite offers vital relief for:
Care partner has the opportunity to: Rest Set up appointments, doctor, dentist, hair Social time with friends, lunch, movie, chit chat Personal care - gym time, long bath, mental break A voluntary support group meeting on first, third Mondays during respite Just knowing that the respite time is ‘my time’ Loved one with dementia Social time with old and new friends Games, movement, laughing, fun Time away from supervision of care partners, not being told what to do - No ‘no’s!' Volunteers (many times overlooked)Experience the feeling of purpose Change from day to day schedule and get out of the house Social engagement, friends - old and new Discipleship

From our Mailbox

February 9, 2026 Thank you Before this day ends, I just wanted to stop and say thank you for all you did today to make the first official R Wave such a success. ’C’ had a wonderful time. You helped him feel such a part. I was able finally to get the car washed, household tasks completed without interruption, take a walk, and have a feeling of peace. You all have worked so hard to get R Wave started. Please know how much it means to me. Sometime I will tell you about our first Sunday at Aldersgate - a huge blessing, a gift from God. The blessings continue to flow from Aldersgate. With gratitude, AH
IMarch 23, 2026 Thank you for welcoming JB and myself to today's R Wave. It was fantastic! We both loved it.  The activities were fun and engaging and the transitions were smooth with no downtime or confusion. Congratulations for the perfect logistics.  The food was delicious. Everything we did was meaningful and useful for engaging the body, the mind and the emotions. Virginia, Vanessa and the other lady at my right, (who I don't remember her name), at table 3 were engaging with the participants and funny. Virginia, particularly made everyone feel at home with her down-to-earth approach.   I ate too many cookies but outside of that I hope to see you all again for more time together. I sure hope JB is interested in returning because it will keep me coming back.  Thank you. God bless you for the work you are doing. You are a blessing to others. AM
March 23, 2026, Thank you so much. I wanted to share something that truly meant a lot—Mom told me she had a good time today. When she got home, I could see a difference. She was more alert, more present… and she even helped make dinner. It was just rice on the stove, but honestly, that doesn’t matter. It’s been over a year since she’s cooked anything at all, and tonight she did. That moment meant more than I can put into words. Thank you for taking the time to engage with her and for making such a positive impact. I’m so grateful. With heartfelt gratitude,
 J

Community Involvment

Flower bouquet for the sanctuary altar
Planting seeds to germinate and then plant in the community Genisis Garden
Filling shoe boxes for the Samaritan's Purse Share your Christmas program. Twelve boxes filled and shipped.
Classroom posters for the Weekday School to celebrate Einstein's birthday
Get well soon bouquet for community member going through breast cancer
Filling Easter eggs for the Church Easter Egg Hunt. Promise we didn't eat.....too much chocolate!
Monthly devotional hosted by Pastor Steve, and community ministers. All are welcomed

Sample Day

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  • 10:00 - 10:45 - Greetings, snacks/coffee, table assignments, table games with friends, social time - New friends!
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  • 10:50 - 11:10 - Light exercises, chair or standing
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  • 11:15 - 11:50 - Arts, crafts, service projects
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  • 11:50 - 12:00 - Wash up for lunch, restroom break
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  • 12:00 - 12:30 - Lunch - Always a hot lunch
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  • 12:30 - 1:00 - Clean up from lunch - fun table games
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  • 1:00 - 1:30 - Floor games, chair volleyball, balloon tennis, hockey
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  • 1:30 - 2:00 - Karaoke, dance
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  • 2:00 - Care partners pick up
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Information and restrictions

  • Participants must:
  • Be in mild to moderate stage dementia
  • Be socially engaged, able to participate in activities
  • Ambulatory - wheel chairs, walkers acceptable
  • Able to self administer medications. Volunteers can remind when to take, but not assist
  • Must be continent, or able to self address toileting needs.
  • Must be able to feed themselves. Staff may help cut foods, but not feed
  • Participants must be formally enrolled in the program monthly. It is not an unscheduled drop off.

2026 Calendar

  • R WAVE Respite Schedule 2026 January   12 Volunteer Training Event 10 am – 2 pm Officially open - Monday, February 9, 2026 R Wave Respite meets every Monday from February 9 until the end of the year  except for the following dates…..
  • Easter Monday April 6th  Memorial Day May 25th 4th of July Holiday July 6th   Labor Day September7th  Thanksgiving November 23rd Christmas December 21th  &  December 28th New Year’s Jan 4th, 2027 
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  • R Wave Support Group Meetings in 2026 February 9 & 16 March 2 & 16 April 20 May 4 & 18 June 1 & 15 July 20 August 3 & 17 September 21 October 5 & 19 November 2 & 16 December 7
  • The support may opt to meet more frequently.
  • R Wave Support Group meets every first (1st) and third (3rd) Mondays each month, except for holidays listed on the calendar. The support group is not limited to care partners of loved ones with dementia participating in the respite. Anyone interested is welcome to join. There is no charge for attending.
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  • The group meets in Room 207 of the Family Life Center of Aldersgate UMC from 10:30 until noon'ish. Snacks and coffee/water are furnished.
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  • Susan Pappas, Certified Dementia Consultant with the Snow Approach and Nurse Practitioner will facilitate the meetings. The meetings are more informative than educational. The floor is always open for current situational questions and discussion.
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  • A typical support group meeting starts with a brief formal program, usually as a follow up to questions or topics raised in the previous meeting. The floor is then opened to discuss current problems, suggestions from the group, and humorous stories are always welcomed. We've got to find the humor sometimes. It could be about our loved one, or the grandkids, the floor is yours.
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  • We'll repeat any topic as this is a dynamic group - no topic is 'off limits'. If it's on your mind, it's a valid topic.
  • Driving - when is it time to stop allowing them to drive. Suggestions on how to approach the topic
  • Medications
  • Denial, how to tell family, friends
  • Building a support group for yourself
  • Elder care attorneys - Powers of Attorney, Living Wills, Estate Planning, DNR, Trusts
  • Incontinence - bladder and bowels - suggestions for changing
  • Bathing, hygiene, teeth, hair, shaving
  • Adaptive clothing, utensils
  • Aggression, verbal, physical - suggestions on how to handle - Sundowning
  • Daily routines, eating, dressing, hydration, music, TV time/programming suggestions, bedtime
  • Emergency care procedures if you, the care partner, is incapacitated -
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Support Group

Topics Covered in Support Group
Volunteer Opportunities
Volunteers are the hero's of R Wave Respite. There is no respite without their gracious help. Volunteers are needed every Monday that the respite meets. Volunteers help guide our loved ones with dementia in arts/craft, community assistance projects, games, dining, socialization, singing and dancing. It is volunteering, but it's also fun. Volunteers find purpose, discipleship, socialization with old and new friends. Volunteer hours are on Mondays, 9:30 - 2:30. You can volunteer every Monday, or just one Monday per month. Volunteering also includes preparing meals, community outreach, and being an advocate among your friends, family, neighbors. Send Mary Taylor an e-mail to get started. E-Mail: RWaveRespite@Aldersgate.org
R Wave Respite



Aldersgate United Methodist ChurchFamily Life Center - Youth/R Wave Room1320 Umstead RoadDurham, NC 27705
Monday - 10:00 - 2:00 PM

  • Respite Care - Mondays, 10:00 - 2:00
  • Support Group, 1st and 3rd Mondays of Month, 10:15’ish - 11:30’ish 7/20, 8/03, 8/17, 9/21, 10/05, 10/19, 11/02, 11/16, 12/07
  • Room 207, Family Life Center, unless changed to Wesley Room
  • Saturday, August 29, 2026 - Friends Cafe - 10:00 - 12:00 - R Wave Room, Family Life Center. Care partners participate with their loved one.  Everyone welcomed.  Free. Register please: Scroll down to registration page for the Friends Cafe, fill out information and send
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  • Monday, September 21, 2026 - Duke HomeCare and Hospice will be presenting a seminar about non-profit vs for profit hospice care, what services Duke Hospice provides, eligibility for hospice, Medicare benefits of hospice, grief counseling.  Open to everyone.  Free. 11:00 - 12:30’ish, Wesley Room. Registration requested
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  • Monday, November 16, 2026 - Kelly Klein of ABC Seniors will be presenting when it time to place loved ones in assisted living, memory care, or skilled nursing. She will educate us on local options. Great planning tool, even if you aren’t considering at the present. Teepa Snow says most people start planning 3 months later than they should. Let's get ahead of the curve. 10:30 - 12:00, Wesley Room, Registration requested - Registration button coming soon on website.
  • For more details on any of the events, please e-mail us at RWaveRespite@Aldersgate.org - Attention Mary or Vic Hopefully we will see you at one or more of these events.
Upcoming Events
To request more information, please fill out the information requested and we will respond normally on the same day.
Aldersgate United Methodist Church
1320 Umstead Rd., Durham, NC 27712
Rwaverespite@aldersgate.org
Information requested

R Wave Respite

Request for more information

R Wave Respite Aldersgate United Methodist Church R Wave Room - Family Life Center 1320 Umstead Road Durham, NC 27712
A two hour mentally stimulating social time to promote care partners and loved ones having fun together. NOT RESPITE, CARE PARTNER AND LOVED ONE


Rwaverespite@aldersgate.org

Register for

Friends Cafe

August 29, 2026

10:00 - 12:00

September 21, 2026 10:30 - 12:00R Wave Respite and Support GroupAldersgate United Methodist Church Wesley RoomDuke HomeCare and Hospice presents a seminar about what hospice does, where it can perform it's services, admissions, Medicare, profit/non-profit, and grief counceling.
1320 Umstead Rd., Durham, NC 27705

RWaveRespite@Aldersgate.org

Duke Hospice

Semnar

Registration

Other Local Resources

Duke Dementia Family Support ProgramDDFSP is a very vital educational program located in Durham. They have helped numerous families with the challenges of dementia. Their Memory Maker program is outstanding! Natalie, Janeli, Cornelia, Rebecca, Tiffany, and our personal favorite - Bobbi are extraordinary. Please use this valuable resource!https://dukefamilysupport.org/Duke Dementia has published a guide to resources and questions for care partners new to dementia. https://sites.duke.edu/familysupport/files/2026/04/Next-Steps-DDFSP-26.pdf
Snow Approach FoundationWe are blessed to have the world renowned brain change expert, Teepa Snow, living in our area and operating an exciting program in Hillsborough, NC. The programs at SAF are educational, lively, and fun. Highly recommendedhttps://snowapproach.org/
Orange County Department of Aging - R PlaceR Place is a program modeled after Respite for All, the same as R Wave. R Place hosts respite care on Wednesdays at the Seymour Center in Chapel Hill. OCDoA also sponsors educational programs for seniors, and early dementia caregivers. Again, this is an asset you will want to explore.https://www.orangecountync.gov/3776/R-Place
Sage Crossing RespiteSage Crossing is a new respite at Apex United Methodist Church in Apex, NC. They offer respite care on Wednesday and Friday each week from 10:00 - 2:00 PM. Caitlin and Jill are the founders, great people. But beware, they play a mean chair volleyball.https://sagecrossing.org/
Aging ForwardAging Forward is a ministry for seniors in Northern Durham County needing transportation to/from medical appointments. The service is volunteer run, and free to seniors.https://www.agingforwarddurham.org/
Durham County Aging & Adult Serviceshttps://dconc.gov/Social-Services/Aging-and-Adult-Services
Additional Care Partner Resources
Dementia Careblazers - Dr. Natali Edmunds - This is a very helpful online resource. Dr. Natali deals with the emotional roller coaster of being a caregiver. How to take a breath, slow down, approach your fears, change the way you think of issues or opportunities. Please check this one out. Dr. Natali has over 100 YouTube videos, each helpful. Just go to YouTube and search ‘Careblazers’. You can join for a fee, but all videos are free.Website: https://careblazers.com/
Roon App - Roon is a question/answer forum. You download the app, then can choose if you need information about Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, FTD and then it will route you to a library of questions people have asked, and you can askSpecialists in neurology, gerontology, occupational therapy, and even our local rock star, Teepa Snow, answers the questions. Another great online resource.Download App - https://www.roon.com/dementia/explore Family Caregiver Support Program 919-855-3400 Provides information about services, assistance in gaining access to services, counseling, support groups and training, respite care, and supplemental services. Service varies by county, Website: ncdhhs.gov/divisions/aging/family-caregiver-support-program Project C.A.R.E (Caregiver alternatives to running on empty) 919-855-3400 Supports caregivers of Alzheimer’s disease or dementia patients with counseling, care consultations, information, respite cre, support networks, community resources and more. Website: ncdhhs.gov/divisions/aging/project-care-caregiver-alternatives-running-empty Finances Low income energy assistance program. 919-527-6335 Provides low-income households that include a person age 60 + with a one-time vendor payment to help pay with heating/cooling bills. Website: ncdhhs.gov/divisions/social-services/energy-assistance/low-income-energy-assistance-lieap NC MedAssist 866-331-1348 Provides prescription medications to eligible low-income residents without insurance. Provides no-cost-OTC medications through a Mobile Free Pharmacy. Website: medassist.org/ Legal Legal Aid of North Carolina 866-216-5265 Provides free legal help to low-income residents in civil cases involving domestic abuse, eviction safety, shelter, income Website: legalaidnc.org/ NC Secretary of State-Advance Healthcare Directives 919-814-5400 Forms required to put an individual’s wishes for end-of-life care and other medical directives in place. Website: doa.nc.gov/about/special-programs/license-give-trust-fund-commission/advance-care-planning Health Dementia Alliance of NC 919-832-3732 Connects dementia patients, caregivers, families to support programs, education and research. Website: dementianc.org/ NC Medicaid Division of Health Benefits 888-245-0179 Provides health insurance programs for low income individuals and families who cannot affort health care costs, including hospitalizations and long-term-care. Website: medicaid.ncdhhs.gov/agencydepartment/division-health-benefits Medicare and Seniors’ Health Insurance Information Program (SHIIP) 855-408-1212 Answers questions and counsels seniors about Medicare, Medicare supplements, Medicare Advantage, prescription drug plans, long term care insurance and other insurance questions. Website: ncdoi.gov/consumers/medicare-and-seniors-health-insurance-information-program-shiip NC Housing Finance Agency 919-877-5700 Creates affordable housing opportunities for older adults, offers financing to partners that assist with emergency repairs, comprehensive rehabilitation or accessibility modifications. Website: nchfa.com/ Information and Services The Arc of NC. 800-662-8706 Aids people with cognitive disabilities and their families through support, information sharing, advocacy and home and community based support services. Website: arcnc.org/ Carolina Aging Alliance Advocates for and provides services to LGBTQ persons 50 and older Website: carolinaaging.org/ Easterseals UCP 800-662-7119 Provides children and adults living with disabilities, behavioral health challenges or autism, and their family and caregivers, with resources and programs that enable them to thrive in their communities. Website: eastersealsport.com/ North Carolina Division of Aging 919-855-3400 Provides seniors, persons with disabilities and their families with information about guardianship, care management, in-home aides, housing senior centors, caregive support and more. Website: ncdhhs.gov/divisions/division-aging End of Life Carolina Caring 828-466-0466 Provides information about hospice and palliative care services at home, in healthcare centers. UNC Palliative Care and Hospice Program- 984-215-5370 Website: unchealth.org/care-services/areas-of-care/hospice-palliative-care/palliative-care Duke Palliative Care Website: https://www.dukehealth.org/locations/duke-clinic-palliative-care-clinic-2f2g