What is Respite Care?
Respite care is a type of assistance that allows the family carer to take a break from looking after their loved one. This type of care focuses on helping family carers recharge, easing their stress, and avoiding the main carer becoming exhausted. Rather than spending time attending to daily duties, respite care provides assistance and support to the family carer. Keeping the carer healthy and supported results in higher 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 an honor and 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 paid employment. This often leads to a situation where the carer feels overwhelmed and confused about what steps to take next to cope with their responsibilities, combined with the effects of anticipatory grief this 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
- Self neglect
- Elderly abuse
In order to prevent the risks mentioned above, you should consider respite if you’re a carer.
Types of Respite Care
Respite care can be provided at home or in residential care. It can often be provided by friends, neighbours, other family members, volunteers, or a home care service provider.
Some examples of respite care services include:
- Personal Care
- Companionship
- Meal Preparation
- Medication Reminder
- Light Housekeeping
- Nursing
Respite care also benefits the person receiving care in the following ways:
- Removing the worry and guilt loved ones often feel when they watch their families struggle to cope with their care;
- Reducing stress and improving long-term relationships of both carers and those being cared for;
- Preventing crisis situations and elder abuse.
Respite Help is Available and Necessary for Family Carers
If you are a family carer, find some time this summer to focus on you! You deserve an extra hand or some time to take care of yourself. Help and advice can be found online at:
- Carers UK have a website with all sorts of useful information – www.carersuk.org
- Hampshire Adult Services can often support you – www.hants.gov.uk/socialcareandhealth/adultsocialcare/supportforcarers/respitebreak
Acqua Doria offers respite care and home care services that are individualized and designed especially for you. We offer a free, no obligation, assessment in the comfort of your own home, contact us to find out how we can help on 01420 85202.
