RespiteMatch.com aims to make sure people with disabilities won't have to play the game of life alone.

"In 1987, I was twenty-six years old and an avid fly fisherman," Jayne recalls. "I tied my own flies, and noticed a loss of dexterity in my left hand. I soon began dropping things with my left hand for no reason. I went to a neurologist, thinking I had nothing more than a pinched nerve.”

The diagnosis was something far worse: Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, or ALS -- commonly known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease -- which eventually required Jayne to get around-the-clock attendant care.

“My existence is totally dependent on my caregivers," he says. "I am totally paralyzed, ventilator-dependent and fed by g-tube. Still, I am extremely fortunate to be an American and live in the age of adaptive equipment and unbelievable technology.

"Without it, I would be a dead vegetable."

Instead, Jayne communicates by using an augmentative communication system. "Once I am set up in my chair with my laptop, I am fairly independent,” he observes.

The Challenge of Finding a Caregiver

Jayne quickly found out that the process of finding caregivers would not be easy.

“My previous caregiver -- whom I found through a classified ad after interviewing dozens of people -- was with me for four years, but she left my employ in 2004 to get married.

"In seventeen years of being disabled, I have hired caregivers from every medium imaginable, including newspaper ads, personal referrals, nanny services and expensive agencies.

"I had moderate success with these methods," Jayne says, "but they were always the source of many headaches and wasted time. Being on a fixed income, I have been limited as to who I can hire.”

As his disease progressed, the number of skills that Jayne required of a caregiver increased.

“I began my new caregiver search on the Internet, thinking I would find something like RespiteMatch," he says.

"I only found classified ad-type postings, which lacked the detailed information needed to save time, make informed decisions and hire the appropriate candidate,” he remembers.

Bringing Patients and Caregivers Together

Jayne was determined to do something to change that.

“Since childhood, I’ve been an entrepreneur, and my wheels began turning," he explains. "I thought that if I experienced these frustrations as a patient, caregivers must go through the same frustrations.

"In December 2003, the idea came to me to create a platform -- much like a singles website -- that would connect home health professionals and patients in the home setting.”

RespiteMatch was the result of that effort, launched in December 2004.

“RespiteMatch was designed to meet all levels of disability -- especially the severely disabled,” Jayne points out. Membership to the site is free. However, users must pay a small subscription fee to utilize all of the its services.

One way that the website brings patients and caregivers together is through personal profiles. For instance, Jayne's own profile lists bathing, dressing and undressing, and ventilator care among his physical needs.

The personal part of the profile offers a wide range of facts -- from his religious affiliation to his preference concerning pets in the house.

In addition to a brief account of personal preferences, a caregiver profile outlines a potential candidate’s educational background, work experience and salary range considerations.

Both types of profiles are followed by a short paragraph describing the person’s expectations to prospective employers or employees.

No Need to Go It Alone

Jayne's goal is to provide a one-stop shop that will meet all home healthcare needs.

“Most important to me is for RespiteMatch.com to have the capability to avoid the common home healthcare pitfalls both patients and caregivers have endured.”

Jayne has had to deal with caregivers not showing up for work -- even lying and stealing -- and has suffered several near-death experiences because of caregiver neglect or incompetence.

“Personally, I view my disease as the cards I was dealt in life," Jayne says. "I can choose to fold or play. There is never any adventure or excitement in folding, so I play my hand."

RespiteMatch.com is his way of making sure people with disabilities won’t have to play the game of life alone.