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Respite Relief Now Being Offered To Military And Veteran Caregivers In Duval County

Chris O'Meara
/
Associated Press
Former Marine "J.T." John Thomas Doody (left) was shot while serving in Fallujah, Iraq. His mother, Chris Ott (right), is also pictured in this 2013 Riverview, Fla. file photo.

Duval is one of three Florida counties where people caring for wounded, sick or injured military veterans can now apply for some time-off.

The Elizabeth Dole Foundation and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs have created a respite program that offers 24-hours of non-medical, in-home relief for qualified caregivers.

The respite care can include simple companionship, grocery shopping, transportation and other daily living activities.

The Respite Relief program is only available in Duval, Hillsborough and Miami-Dade counties in Florida.

Veteran caregivers in Texas and California can also apply for the help.

More information about the program is available at HiddenHeroes.org.

Contact reporter Cyd Hoskinson at choskinson@wjct.org, 904-358-6351 and on Twitter at @cydwjctnews.

Cyd Hoskinson began working at WJCT on Valentine’s Day 2011.