Respite care is a term for a temporary break for primary caregivers. It’s a full-time job to care for someone sick or disabled at home. You don’t get time to take care of your own needs. That’s where respite care comes in. It is provided at:
- Home,
- Healthcare facility or
- Specialised centers that offer overnight stays
Depending on how long of a break the caregiver is taking, respite care can last a few hours, a day, several days or several weeks.
Who Qualifies for Respite Care?
Anybody who has an illness or disability may need 24-hour care. Caregivers, when looking after the sick or disabled may need time to rest, relax, shop, work, or go off on vacation.
You may need respite care if you’re in charge of someone suffering from:
- Alzheimer’s disease or dementia
- Brain injury or stroke
- Cancer
- Blindness
In other words, a caregiver may use respite care services if they have anyone at home with a physical or mental disability or, unfortunately both.
Respite Care Services
Respite care facilitators provide comprehensive medical care to your loved one in your absence. Qualified physicians and trained staff may help your loved one with:
- Eating, drinking
- Bathing
- Dressing
- Medication management
- Supervised outings
- Exercise
- Getting in and out of bed
This is not all. Some respite caregivers can take your loved one to their medical appointments, for bill payment and shopping.
Types of Respite Care
In general, there are three kinds of respite care: live-in, adult day-care centers or programs, and dedicated respite care facilities. Caregivers gain a solution with respite care that ensures the well-being of their loved one. It’s sometimes needed in an emergency to prevent the exacerbation of a situation. It’s when emergencies strike and a primary caregiver cannot provide care for some reason that emergency respite becomes a priceless resource. Take a look at the three types of respite care in detail:
-
Live-in care
If you want your loved one to be taken care of in your presence, no problem, respite care can come to you. Live-in or in-home respite care providers look after the sick through services such as companionship, personal care including bathing, dressing, eating, and take medications. Some respite care providers also do laundry, make beds, and/or prepare meals; this is rare, however. Caregivers can turn to home-focused respite services through a public health nursing agency, the social service sector, a private nonprofit agency, and/or a private homemaker service.
-
Adult day-care centers
Adult-based healthcare centres have been providing respite care services for decades. You can bring your loved one to one of these centres for a few hours or the whole day. These centres give caregivers a breathing space while providing their patient health services, therapeutic services, chronic illness treatment, and social activities for people with Alzheimer’s disease. Some adult day centers may offer meditation and music classes or meal supervised by trained staff.
-
Respite care facilities
This type of respite care offers short-term stays at assisted living facilities. Short stay assisted living gives the caregiver a respite for as long as they want, while looking after their loved one in a safe, comfortable environment. The trained staff ensures day and night care by helping your loved one dress, bathe, take medications or meals on scheduled time. Respite care is called residential respite care when some facilities are community residences including group homes, nursing homes, private apartments and state-owned facilities. Facilities such as these may offer respite care for overnight, weekend or extended stays.
Costs
Typically, respite care providers charge by the hour or by the number of days or weeks for which they are providing services. The cost of respite care is contingent on the type of agency, the service that’s requested, and how long you need it. Most insurance policies do not cover this type of care; however, some long-term insurance plans may cover it. Check with your insurer to determine your out-of-pocket costs or state’s developmental disabilities agency to find out what’s available.
Where to Find Respite Care?
Care4U makes things easy for primary caregivers who need rest by watching over their loved one. We provide Birmingham respite care and support for people with complex needs in the comfort of their own homes.
