Respite care can be defined as a short period of relief or rest from caring for people who depend on you. Caring for a loved one can be one of the most beautiful things one can experience. However, the other side of the story is that it can get hard sometimes. You can feel yourself to be on the ‘giving’ end of the equation, and there could be no end in sight to your current situation. You are a caregiver. You are responsible for the care of your loved one. And you are doing the best you can. What you do is wonderful as nobody can care as much for your loved one as you can.
The estimates from the Alzheimer’s Association indicate that there are approximately 15.5 million friends and family members engaged in over 17.7 billion hours of unpaid care for their loved ones with Alzheimer’s or some other form limiting illness. The statistics seem staggering, and as a caregiver, sometimes, you also need to be taken care of. Everybody needs a break from their same monotonous routine, and so does a caregiver – a period of rest so that a caregiver can recharge and be ready to be on the ‘giving end’ of the equation. This is where respite care comes in. Respite care Birmingham can provide you anywhere from a few hours to a few days to do what you need to do for yourself. This could be anything from going to a doctor’s appointment or sleeping uninterrupted for several hours or maybe catching up with the people of your age. Approximately 40-70% of caregivers will experience symptoms of depression and anxiety that reflect on the constant emotional labour of caring for someone they love.
How to Approach Your Loved Ones Regarding Respite Care
Becoming a recipient of personal care from someone else is not an easy choice for anybody. The decision can strike your loved one as loss of independence, and the first response from almost every care recipient is a feeling of being overwhelmed and depressed.
While it is essential to respect their wishes in this regard, it is also significant that they are receiving the proper care they need. The course of convincing them to allow respite care should be accomplished with the recognition of their feelings, regular reassurances, and overall dignity. If you truly want your loved one to be cared for, this is not something you should rush them into. Here is what we think of how you should disclose this decision to your loved one.
Homework is Important
This is no discussion you could begin without doing some homework and research. You need to research the respite care services that are available in your locality so that you can be ready to talk about different options with your loved one. Knowing about the specifics reassures them that you respect and care about their needs, and this will be a mutual decision for their better health.
Begin the Conversation with Questions
Just like every other conversation, it is better if you let the other person come up with their own solution for the problem. If you know the right questions to ask, you may be able to get their approval for respite care faster than you thought. The questions can be anything like “what would happen if you fell and I was out completing chores?” or any other questions that could lead them to respite care as an option.
Pick the Right Place and Time
Owing to the sensitive nature of the conversation, you really need you think about the time and place you choose to bring up this conversation. Indulging in this conversation on Christmas Day may not be suitable. Rather than picking a special day, you need to choose a random day to take them out for lunch. The idea here is to take emotion out of the situation, as this may cloud their decision. This is exactly the reason why your own home is not the best place for this conversation to take place.
Make Your Loved Ones the Focus of Conversation
While it may be challenging to take your own needs and wants out of the equation, it is crucial to keep the focus of the conversation on the needs of your loved one. If you don’t make their needs the Center Point of your conversation, they might misunderstand and feel like you’re deserting them. You need to bring their safety and overall health to the table. Consider the existing situation and get them thinking about what comes next. Be honest and respect their feelings during the talk.
