March 2021
How to Receive A Week Away
Learn a little more about our application process and who is eligible to receive a respite week!
At A Week Away, it’s our mission to finance and coordinate Respite Weeks for individuals and their loved ones who are dealing with a life-threatening illness. These times of rest are crucial, as they help those attending to find the peace and energy needed to continue fighting their disease.
We genuinely believe respite weeks have real physical and emotional benefits, which is why we work so hard to make them happen for qualified individuals. But, what makes one eligible to receive a week away?
Medical Requirements
In order to receive a week away, the patient must be diagnosed by a medical doctor with a life-threatening illness, and they must be actively treating it. To be defined as life-threatening, the condition must put the patient’s life at risk even with treatment or put it at risk if they don’t treat it immediately.
Geographic Requirements
Our organization is currently able to serve the following counties in Pennsylvania: Adams, Berks, Bucks, Chester, Cumberland, Delaware, Dauphin, Franklin, Lancaster, Lebanon, Lehigh, Montgomery, Perry, Philadelphia, and York. However, if you are not from those counties, continue to check back in as we’re always looking to expand our services.
Age Requirements
There are **no age restrictions** in order to receive a week away. We want individuals of all ages to feel rejuvenated—from 5 to 50+!
Respite Participants
The patient will never go on a Respite Week alone. We arrange the trip so that the immediate care team, or individuals actively involved in the care and treatment, are permitted to go. The group could be anyone from family to friends to furry friends!
How to Apply
The application process is relatively straightforward, with only three simple steps.
- Patient Application
On this form, you will be asked to tell us a little about the patient’s situation. You’ll also include your respite preferences, including destination and time of year. - Medical Application
For this section, we require a member of your medical team to complete the form. This member could be a physician, nurse navigator, primary care physician, social worker, nurse practitioner, etc. - Medical Approval
If your application is approved, we require one more final approval from your medical team. This step helps us ensure that you can travel to the desired destination without complicating your treatment.
Once you’ve applied, it typically takes about 7-10 days for us to review your application and provide a decision. Please be aware that as of March 2021, we are limiting each individual to two respites to help us maximize the number of families we can help. If you reach your limit on respites, we will work with you to find alternative support and options.
Fighting a life-threatening illness is an incredible load to carry, and we understand that first hand. Many of our staff either fought a disease themselves or stood by loved ones as they went through it. We recognize the difficulties, and we want to help alleviate them. If you have any questions about our organization, respites, or the application, please email info@aweekaway.org. To apply now, visit our application page.