Respite Care

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Respite care can be a lifeline for family caregivers and their loved ones. This type of home care typically involves short-term or temporary caregiving visits. These visits make it possible for family caregivers to take time away from unpaid caregiving duties—without compromising the quality of care received by their loved ones.

At Visiting Angels®, we know how difficult caring for a loved one can be. We also know the positive difference respite care can make. If you provide care to a spouse, parent, or grandparent, and you need outside assistance, our caregivers are ready to lend a helping hand.

What is Respite Care?

Respite care is a support system for family caregivers. With other types of in-home care, professional caregivers perform the majority of caregiving duties. Respite services, meanwhile, are provided in cases where family caregivers are performing most of this work on their own. Respite care provides caregivers with temporary or ongoing breaks from their caregiving responsibilities, so they can attend to their own needs and other responsibilities.

While family caregiving is honorable, it comes with difficulties. The devotion that caregivers extend to their loved one in caregiving can be exhausting, particularly if the care is long-term. Additionally, caregivers tend to become so invested in caring for their loved one that they don’t give themselves the care that they deserve. Many caregivers feel that tending to their loved one is a task that they must shoulder on their own. However, there is no shame in needing assistance to make sure that you and your loved one are taken care of, both emotionally and physically.

If you’re one of the 40+ million Americans who acts as a family caregiver, respite care can make a world of difference. Family caregivers are at such a high risk of physical and mental exhaustion that the term “caregiver burnout” is now commonplace. Taking care of another shouldn’t come at the cost of your emotional and physical wellbeing. Respite care will ascertain that both the caregiver and the care recipient are happy and healthy.

Preventing Caregiver Burnout

Caregiver burnout is a state of fatigue or exhaustion caused by taking care of another person. This occurs when caregivers aren’t getting the help that they need or are taking on more than they emotionally and physically are capable of. This condition is accompanied by a variety of symptoms: loss of empathy, change in sleep patterns, becoming sick more frequently, loss of interest in personal hobbies and activities, trouble concentrating, and increase of anxiety and depression.

In-home respite care can substantially reduce your risk of burnout and make caring for your loved one more manageable. If you need time to rest and recuperate, Visiting Angels can provide care services to your loved one while you spend time caring for yourself. If the daily or weekly routine of caregiving has become overwhelming, we can perform regular respite visits to reduce your workload.

Respite Services

In-home respite care from Visiting Angels can include a wide range of caregiving services.

In addition to standard services like companion care and personal care, our local agencies offer a number of specialized services, including Alzheimer’s care and dementia care. If your loved one requires specialized care, respite visits can be provided by skilled caregivers with expertise in these areas.

Some of the most common tasks performed by our respite caregivers include:

Laundry
Light housekeeping
Meal preparation
Medication reminders
Assistance with activities of daily living (such as dressing, grooming, and bathing)

In most cases, respite care is provided on a short-term or temporary basis. However, respite visits can also be performed on a routine basis on a weekly, biweekly, or monthly schedule. Our flexible approach to care planning and scheduling is designed to make sure you and your loved one get the respite care services you need.

Getting Started with Respite Care

Simply contact your local office to request a care consultation. We provide families with a free, no obligation consultation before starting with home care. This allows us to better understand the kinds of services you need. We can also answer any questions you have about our approach to caregiving.

In some situations, respite caregiving is needed on short notice. We understand that these situations may be beyond your control. Family emergencies may arise, work demands may increase, or other obligations may come to the forefront. In these cases, we also encourage you to contact your local Visiting Angels agency. We can fast-track the care planning and scheduling process to ensure a caregiver is available for your loved one.

All care providers at your local Visiting Angels have been carefully screened and selected prior to placement, and we take measures to find the right caregiver for every care recipient. That’s true no matter what kind of care we’re providing, including short-term and temporary caregiving. With our Select Your Caregiver® program, you have a say in the caregiver who will attend to your loved one. While we work to find the perfect match for your loved one, if you wish to change your caregiver for any reason, we’ll find another caregiver to better suit you.

Are you ready to get a much-needed reprieve with respite care? We can help you have time to attend to your needs while ensuring that your loved one is cared for. If you’re ready to get started with respite care, contact your local Visiting Angels office today!