Respite For The Family Explained- Everything You Need To Know About Respite Services

You won’t admit, but as someone who looks after an elderly or a disabled member of the family, you often forget to take care of yourself physically and emotionally.

Ask yourself, when was the last time you took a break for yourself, shifting your attention between professional and personal life. The probability is you do not even remember. 

Absence of self-care or me time for a more extended period results in random emotional outburst and even physical and mental problems. Anxiety, body/ muscle pain, hypertension and migraine are some of the symptoms that you are tired physically and mentally.

Is your counter-argument: I can’t trust anyone to take care of my beloved special needs?

We understand and agree that nobody can provide care with as much compassion as you do but taking care of yourself is also essential. The professional suggestion for that is respite care.

What is Respite Care?

Respite care refers to providing temporary relief to the primary caregiver from the daily responsibilities concerning the loved ones. Respite care services mean a medical professional or non-skilled staff will take your place as a primary caregiver for a given period.

You can receive respite care for several hours, day, or weeks depending on your requirement. A respite caregiver looks after medication, meals, primary hygiene, grooming and even basic housekeeping tasks. The main purpose of respite care is that the primary caretaker de-stress themselves, recharge energy and come back positive for the journey as a primary caregiver.

Once you have accepted that you need some time out, the second question comes: is respite care expensive?

The expenses of respite care depend on the agency you have chosen, the program features and time duration. Only a few policies cover respite care, but there are several programs by the government who pay for respite care. You can also receive respite care from NGOs who focus on nonprofits that focus on specific conditions, such as the Alzheimer’s Association, Cancer, Down syndrome etc.

What Are Different Forms Of Respite Care?

There are several representations of respite care with different features across the facilities. However, the idea of respite care boils down into two categories:

In-House Respite Care:

In- house respite care refers to the service when a professional comes to your house and takes care of every medical and personal need on an occasional or even regular basis for a couple of hours. Depending on the agency, respite care can often include housekeeping tasks as well, such as cooking, laundry, and cleaning. However, the main focus remains primary care for the disabled or the elderly member of the house. 

In house respite care also includes several kinds of activities to keep your loved one engaged and active. They may range from outdoor walks, mild exercises, games, etc. 

In-house respite care is very similar to assisted living with the exception that in-house respite care duration is shorter.

Out House Respite Care:

Out-House respite care means you leave your residence and move out for a temporary period. You can move out with your loved one to a facility, or you can alone stay at a facility while a professional take care of your beloved one. 

Imagine a vacation, where you don’t have to look after your loved one, but you are still very near to them and continuously in contact. Now this one of the kinds of outhouse respite care. Programs at such facilities are designed to help you interact with new people, to support groups/ therapy, be a part of the community and engage creativity. On the other hand, your loved ones enjoy it as well.

Some of the facilities out- house respite care also mean day-care centers, senior care centers and specifically built respite care facilities for the primary caregiver and their beloved who requires assistance.

At these facilities, you can drop your child with special needs or drop your beloved elderly for a couple of hours so you can run your errands and take a rest while they enjoy the interaction with new people and fun activities.

For more about respite services visit apexhomehealthcarellc