So many family caregivers see it as their duty to care for their senior around the clock. While that is admirable, it’s not a sustainable way to approach caregiving. Everyone needs to be able to take a break, either to rest or to handle other responsibilities once in a while. The best option for family caregivers is respite care from home care assistance. This type of help is invaluable and can help family caregivers keep up with more of what they need to do.
What Is Respite Care?
Respite care is temporary care and support for seniors who need it. The most common form of respite care is when home care providers visit and take over the normal duties of a family caregiver. They might help with meal preparation, household tasks, or simply keep seniors company. The most important aspect is that there is someone there with the aging family member so that family caregivers can be elsewhere.
Alleviating Caregiver Stress
Caregiving is stressful. That’s true no matter how much the family caregiver wants to be there helping the senior they love. There’s a lot to worry about and caregiving is demanding. Taking time away from all of this stress, even for an afternoon, gives family caregivers a chance to rest and to do something else for a little while.
Improving Quality of Care
Rest and taking a break can feel like something that interrupts care, but the opposite is actually true. First, seniors have a chance to experience care from other caregivers. But the other important factor is that family caregivers come back to their regular daily lives refreshed and better able to tackle everything that needs to be done.
Enhancing Relationships
When family caregivers take a break, they can get a new perspective. It’s one thing to be taking care of tasks all day for a beloved family member, but that doesn’t mean that family caregivers are able to spend quality time with the seniors they love. Respite care allows seniors and family caregivers to deepen their relationship, spending time together that doesn’t have to be about caregiving needs.
Planning for Respite Care
The best idea is for family caregivers to plan for respite care. When they don’t, they’re more likely to forget about it or skip respite time. Home care assistance can help family caregivers determine how much respite time they need and the best ways to accommodate those needs. Coordinating schedules and making time to rest keeps respite time on the radar.
Overcoming Barriers to Respite Care
Home care assistance is not there to tell family caregivers what they’re doing wrong or to replace them. These feelings are normal and they shouldn’t keep family caregivers from taking time away on a regular basis. Other worries, like feeling guilty for needing time away are ones that family caregivers need to work through.
Home care assistance offers expert care that seniors and family caregivers can rely on. Taking respite time on a regular basis helps family caregivers to stay refreshed and able to handle whatever comes next on their caregiving journey.
If you are considering home care assistance in Katy, TX for an aging loved one, please call the caring staff at At Your Side Home Care. We will answer all of your senior care questions. Call today: (832) 271-1600.
At Your Side Home Care, provides exceptional home care assistance for seniors and families in Houston, West Houston, Katy, Memorial, The Heights, Spring Valley, Garden Oaks, Hunters Creek, River Oaks, Hilshire Village, Galleria, Cinco Ranch, Spring Branch, Sugar Land, Missouri City, Richmond, Rosenburg, Piney Point, Bay City and surrounding areas.
Our Certified Nurse Aides, 24-Hour Live-in Assistants and Home Health Aides are available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. We also provide the security and confidence of 24-hour Telephone Assistance, so fast, reliable help is always available when it's needed. To learn more about our homecare services see our homecare services page.
Different people need different levels of homecare. To meet the requirements of our clients, At Your Side Homecare maintains consistent staffing levels of caring professionals. Homecare service is available for as little as a few hours a week, or as many as 24 hours a day, seven days a week
- How Can Seniors Make Over Their Bedrooms for Better Sleep? - September 6, 2024
- The Importance of a Well-Rounded Diet for Seniors - September 6, 2024
- How to Ease the Transition to Home Care Assistance for Seniors - August 30, 2024