The Home Oxygen Parent Exchange is a program dedicated to the providing safe social outings for graduates of the NICU and their families in order to meet other families with similar issues of transitioning to life after the NICU.
Target Population:
The program is specifically targeted to families of NICU graduates who still may require home oxygen supplementation or home ventilation, but will also be open to any graduates from the NICU without such needs. Most children participating in the program will be under two years of age.
All parents/guardians and caregivers (home health nurses) are welcome to attend. Siblings of NICU graduates will be invited to participate in a simultaneous program, but must RSVP to ensure that we can staff appropriately.
All participants should be free of obvious viral symptoms to protect other attendees.
Schedule:
Our first events are scheduled for October and November of 2008. Based on the anticipated success of these dates, we expect the program to continue on a monthly basis.
The program will run on the first Saturday of each month, from 9:30 am to 11:15 am:
- 9:30-10am: Refreshments will be available.
- 10am-10:40 am : Music class
- 10:40-11:15am : Facilitated discussion
Location:
The program will be located in the Enders Research Building, on the 1st floor in rooms Byers A and Byers B. The Enders Building is attached to Children's. As you stand in the main parking circle facing the large revolving door at the main entrance to Children's, when you look to your right, you will see a smaller revolving door. That is the entrance to the Enders Building. The Byers rooms are to the right as soon as you enter the building.
Discussion Group Facilitation:
An experienced NICU graduate family member will co-facilitate discussions with our social workers and/or Dr. Rhein.
We are asking everyone to post ideas on specific topics for discussion.
