Benefits Of Respite Care
Want to know about some of the benefits of having our company deliver trained respite care to seniors in the home?
Well, first of all, it’s important to understand what respite care is, and what it represents.
When you talk about the definition of respite care, what you’re talking about is backing up and supporting a primary caregiver. That primary caregiver may have been providing care for one day, or one month, or one year or more. It’s often a member of the family, but it can just as easily be a paid support person or someone else. The key is that the respite care offers that primary person the assistance they need to take care of themselves!
Getting “You Time”
The way the people describe it in this industry, sometimes, is often with that saying about airplane safety. We always say that the flight attendants tell us that you have to put your own air mask on before helping others. Senior care can be like that, too. If you don’t have the time that you need, you’re not likely to be able to assist someone else in the best ways. That’s the idea behind respite care, which gives you the backup to be successful and effective in caring for a senior at home.
Networking
Having respite care in place also allows the primary caregiver to go out and support their networks in the community. They might need input from one or more doctors. They might need to check on that social support network for the person who they are caring for. They might need to get information about public services or public events, etc.
No matter what their need is, the respite care will allow them to do that without worrying about what’s happening to their ward at home. Again, it’s about having a backup person so that you don’t feel the isolation and stress of being the only one in line to care for someone who may need a lot of care.
Meals and Planning
Then there’s the practical side of planning meals and everything else, as well as planning the primary caregiver planning for themselves, too. Getting their hair done, going to their own doctor appointments, that sort of thing. It’s surprising how many times people just get inundated when they go it alone and think they can provide all of the care for a family member. When they are able to secure respite care, they never want to give it up!
Keeping Up
We know that for primary caregivers, it sometimes feels like you’re slipping backward. You might feel like you just don’t have the time you need to get everything done during the day. We understand how you feel, which is why we offer these services.
Talk to River Oaks Home Care about the support that you need for your family.
