For families with aged loved ones, finding suitable, reliable, and trustworthy care for them can be tedious. Some families are not ready to move their loved ones into a nursing home and they opt to care for them in the comfort of their own homes. However, given the nature of caregiving, most family members find themselves burnt out and needing a break from their responsibilities not long after they take them on. When this happens, respite care is an alternative that families may consider.
Respite care is care provided by someone in the interim while the the regular caregiver takes a break. Respite care is only a temporary arrangement, but one that can be invaluable to a family member who is the sole caretaker of an elderly or aged loved one. It allows them to have precious time to themselves to attend to their own family matters or to simply just do nothing. Respite care is available to caregivers in many forms. The first step is knowing and understand what their specific needs are so that they can proceed accordingly in finding a respite care solution that would best suit their needs. Here is an overview of some types of respite care that are caregivers may choose to explore.
Caregiver Support Groups
Caregiver support groups are designed for caregivers to connect with others in their situations. Interacting with a group of people who are familiar with the stress of caregiving can provide the emotional support that caregivers so often lack.
Adult Day Care Programs
Adult day care programs are designed to both give caretakers a break from caregiving and to provide social interaction for their elderly charges in a group of their peers. These programs usually last just one day, during normal business hours, but offer a wide variety of outings and projects to keep the elderly loved ones occupied in their caregivers’ absence.
Home Health Aides
Home health aides are another respite care option that is available to full-time caregivers. These aides are specially trained in providing care to aged and elderly individual and also provide assistance with every day tasks like cooking and bathing. Home health aides can be employed through a local home health care agency. If an aide versed in providing specialized medical care for certain conditions and ailments is required, most home health agencies can accommodate this need as well.