Meeting the care needs of a senior loved one is a physically and emotionally taxing responsibility, and it’s crucial for family caregivers to take regular breaks to rest and recharge. Respite care services offer relief from the daily tasks of caregiving, allowing family caregivers to care for themselves – leading to better care for the seniors they love, too.

 

Following are some of the basics about respite care services:

  • Respite care services provide seniors with the attention they need and deserve while family members take time for self-care.
  • Respite care provides family caregivers with care that is planned, short-term, intermittent and substitute.
  • Respite care services can be scheduled from part of just one day to ongoing, scheduled, routine relief.

 

If you know someone who is providing care for a senior loved one, here’s how you can offer them respite:

  • Offer to share caregiving responsibilities. Even if you can only help once in a while, it shows the family caregiver that you care about their health.
  • Offer assistance with the family caregiver’s own chores. Family caregivers have their own lives as well, and finding time to manage their personal laundry, grocery shopping, and housecleaning can be a challenge.
  • Pitch in for respite care services from a top-rated home care agency, like Hillendale Home Care. In many cases, family members who live at a distance want to contribute to a loved one’s care in some way, and this is a great way to help.

 

If you’re a family caregiver yourself, here’s how you can find the help you need:

  • Ask for assistance. Other family members likely want to help with care, but aren’t sure what help is needed. Involve them in the respite care plan so you can take time off when you’d like.
  • Schedule professional respite care services. A respite caregiver can help you take the time away that you need while providing high quality care for your senior loved one.
  • Talk to the senior in your care. A change in the senior’s everyday routine, like bringing in a new caregiver, can be stressful, so take the following steps to alleviate any concerns:
    • Be sure to have a respite care plan in place in advance.
    • Remind the senior regularly that your break is coming up and the caregiver will be coming to help.
    • Introduce the senior to the new caregiver if the person is not another family member.
  • Stick to your plan. Taking regular breaks from caregiving is crucial to your own health. Make sure that everyone involved in the respite care plan is fully on board so you can take the time away that you need.

 

The bottom line is that no one can do everything alone, and there are skilled and compassionate caregivers at the ready to partner with you. Call Hillendale Home Care, one of the leading providers of respite care and home health care in Walnut Creek and the surrounding areas, at 925-933-8181 to learn more.