As a family caregiver, you know that caring for your loved one is meaningful and worthwhile—but being a caregiver is hard. It’s more than just a full-time job; it’s a 24/7 commitment. And, it’s perfectly normal to need a little backup – that’s exactly what respite care is for.
What is respite care for elderly adults? It’s when a professional caregiver offers your loved one help and companionship in your place while you’re not available. With a reliable pinch hitter on your side, you can safely take time off knowing that your loved one is in compassionate and capable hands.
What Is Respite Care for Elderly Family Members?
Respite care is a type of home care in which a professional caregiver assists your loved one while you’re not available. They’ll visit your loved one’s home and give them the same kind of comfort and companionship that you normally would.
No matter how dedicated you are to caring for your loved one, you’ll eventually need some time off. Respite care can give you the time and space you need to take a vacation, handle important errands, connect with your loved one—or just relax and unwind.
Respite care lasts exactly as long as you need it to. Whether you need a few days for a vacation or a few months to recover from an injury, respite care can help.
What Is Respite Care Helpful For?
The work you do as a family caregiver is important, but it can take a toll. The high personal stakes and the need to be available at any moment can make it hard to take a vacation, handle important errands, connect with your loved one or just relax and unwind.
The importance of respite care cannot be overstated. It’s common for caregivers to take on more responsibility than one person should handle and often feel guilty about taking time for themselves. However, it’s possible to develop caregiver stress syndrome—a condition that can include physical, mental and emotional exhaustion—when a caregiver is so focused on tending to an aging, ill, injured or disabled loved one that they neglect their own health. Signs of this condition include often feeling tired, getting too much or too little sleep, gaining or losing weight, feeling overwhelmed or constantly worried, becoming easily angry or irritated, feeling sad, losing interest in activities you once enjoyed, experiencing frequent headaches, body pain or other physical ailments and misusing alcohol or drugs.
So, whether you’re feeling overwhelmed or have other symptoms of caregiver stress syndrome or simply need to do some errands, there are many reasons you might require time away from caring for a loved one. Respite care for elderly adults can help you with:
Rest and Recovery
Caring for your loved one is rewarding work—but it’s still work, and nobody can work all the time. If you’re exhausted and burnt out, you won’t be able to give your loved one the care and companionship they need. That’s why it’s important to be aware of the stages of caregiver burnout and take time to unwind.
But relaxing is often hard for family caregivers. The stakes are high, and you may worry about making a mistake and hurting your loved one. Spousal caregiving in particular can make your home feel like a second workplace rather than a place of rest. On top of that, it can be difficult to see your loved one struggling with health or memory issues. The effects of dementia on caregivers can be especially hard to deal with.
Respite care gives you time to relax and recharge. With a professional caregiver attending to your loved one, you can go on a vacation, visit other family members or just get some much-needed “me” time.
Everyday Life
Caring for your loved one doesn’t mean you can ignore your own life. Work, errands, appointments and social engagements can all keep you out of the house longer than you’re comfortable leaving your loved one alone.
With respite care, whether you’re at work, visiting the doctor or getting your car fixed, you can rest easy knowing your loved one is in the hands of a professional caregiver.
Emergencies and Disruptions
Emergencies and other unexpected factors can make it impossible to care for your loved one. If you get sick or injured, you won’t be able to help them out. If you don’t live with your loved one, transportation issues like car trouble or bad weather can make it impossible to reach them.
Don’t be caught off guard. Make sure you know how to arrange respite care for your loved one in the event of an emergency.
Being Present as a Family Member
It might sound strange but taking care of your loved one can make it harder for you to be present with them. As a family caregiver, you’re focused entirely on your loved one’s needs and comfort—and not on being yourself. Even if you’re physically present with them 24/7, it can be hard to put down your task list and get meaningful family time together.
Respite care can help you step out of the role of caregiver. With a professional caregiver handling your loved one’s daily needs, one of the benefits of respite care is that you’ll be able to focus on connecting with them.
How to Talk to Your Loved One About Respite Care
At first, elderly loved ones may not be receptive to someone new coming into their home while you’re away. But having an open, honest conversation with them about it might make them more comfortable with the idea. Make sure to talk about home care solutions before there’s a crisis that requires you to call someone else to step in.
When thinking about how to talk to elderly parents about accepting help, the most important thing is to show empathy as change can be scary for anyone—especially older adults who may be feeling a loss of independence. Before starting the conversation, research the different options and then listen to their feelings about each one and try to come up with solutions together so they can retain some control in the decision-making process.
Share the challenges you’re experiencing as you juggle home life, career and their care. Most elderly parents don’t want to be a burden on their family and might be more amenable to outside help if they know it will relieve some of your stress. Keep the discussion positive: Rather than emphasizing the reasons your loved one needs assistance, focus on the advantages of having a caregiver help with their care, housework and other needs. Then suggest a test run, hiring someone to provide in-home respite care on a short-term basis. This experience may alleviate their fears and allow them to be more willing to receive outside help when you need someone to step in.
Respite Care for Elderly Family Members From FirstLight Home Care
At FirstLight, we know from personal experience that caregiving isn’t easy. It requires skill and perseverance, especially for family caregivers.
We salute the work you do as a family caregiver, and we’re proud to offer respite care services to support you and your loved one. If you need to take a break, prepare for a disruption or just connect with your loved one, we’d love to help. Now that you know what is respite care for elderly adults, contact us to connect with a FirstLight Home Care agency in your area.