What is Respite Care?
Respite care is a type of assistance that allows the family to take a break from care-giving. This type of care focuses on helping family members recharge, ease their stress, and avoid burnout. Rather than spending time attending to daily duties, respite care provides assistance and support to family members that are caring for loved ones. Keeping the carer healthy and supported results in quality time spent together. The longer a family member can provide appropriate care, the longer the loved one is able to stay comfortably at home.
Role of a Family Carer
The role of a family carer can be a privilege. Some carers acknowledge they enjoy having the opportunity to “repay” their parent by caring for them. Caring for a loved one can be a rewarding experience, but intense or long-term care can often have a negative impact on the carer’s health and well-being. This is especially difficult if you are a first-time family carer. These individuals often struggle with balancing their role as a carer with their own family’s needs, or caregiving and paid employment. This often leads to a situation where the family members feel overwhelmed and confused about what steps to take next. This combined with the effects of anticipatory grief, and may put the family carer at risk of:
- Psychological effects such as depression, anxiety, and anger
- Health related issues resulting from chronic stress, lack of sleep and/or physical exercise
- Personal financial problems
- Negative career consequences
- Drug/alcohol abuse
- Elderly abuse
In order to prevent the risks mentioned above, you should consider respite if you’re a carer of a family member.
Types of Respite Care
Respite care can be provided at home or in a long-term care facility. Care can be provided by friends, neighbour’s, family members, volunteers, or a home health care service provider.
Some examples of respite care services include:
- Personal Care
- Companionship
- Meal Preparation
- Medication Reminder
- Light Housekeeping
- Nursing care
Respite care also benefits the person receiving care in the following ways:
- Developing and nurturing the care recipient’s social, recreational and life skills;
- Reducing stress and improving long-term functioning of both carers and care recipients;
- Preventing crisis situations and elder abuse.
Respite Resources are Available and Necessary for Family Carers
If you are a family carer, find some time to focus on you. You deserve an extra hand or some time to take care of yourself. Sella Care home care offers respite care and home health services that are individualised and designed especially for you. Contact us about home care services on 01803 411050.
