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respite care
Additional Information
What is Respite Care?
Millions of Americans provide unpaid assistance each year to elderly family, friends, and neighbors to help them remain in their own homes and communities for as long as possible. Sometimes these caregivers need time off to relax or take care of other responsibilities. This is where respite care can be helpful. It provides the family caregivers with the break they need, and also ensures that their elderly loved one is still receiving the attention that he or she needs.
Respite care is not all the same. Respite care provides relief for the caregiver. In many families, an elderly person is reliant on the care of his or her family. In some cases, this may be a minor amount of care – such as helping around the home. In other situations, the care is comprehensive involving all levels of personal management. Yet, family members get tired, too. They need a break. Sometimes they need help on a day to day basis. In other cases, they need someone who can provide care for a period of time while they travel or just take some time to themselves. Respite care workers provide this type of support.
Respite workers have the unique ability to help reduce the stress and anxiety that a caregiver has. This may not be all of the time, but it provides an important break for the individual, helping to ensure he or she continues to maintain their mental health. Respite care is flexible. It fits the needs of the individuals involved. That’s important because many family members simply do not know there is help available to them.
Respite care can include as much or as little care as possible. It can be available at various times of the day and as frequently as desired. This type of flexibility helps caregivers to maintain the best level of care for their loved one without sacrificing their own mental health for it. More specifically respite care may take any one of the following forms:
- Adult Day Care: These programs are designed to provide care and companionship for frail and disabled persons who need assistance or supervision during the day. The program offers relief to family members or caregivers and allows them the freedom to go to work, handle personal business or just relax while knowing their relative is well cared for and safe.
- In-home respite care: Generally speaking, in-home respite care involves the following four types of services for the more impaired older person:
- Companion services to help the family caregiver supervise, entertain, or just visit with the senior when he or she is lonely and wants company.
- Homemaker services to assist with housekeeping chores, preparing meals, or shopping.
- Personal care services to help the aged individual bathe, get dressed, go to the bathroom, and/or exercise.
- Skilled care services to assist the family caregiver in tending to the senior’s medical needs, such as when administering medications..
Respite Services Offered.
One of the unique facets of respite care is that it provides care designed for the individual situation. This means that family members can choose when to use the service, how much service to use, and what type of care they need. For example, if a family is taking care of an elderly parent, but the family needs to go away for the weekend, respite care can step in and provide 24 care for the elderly parent. On the other hand, a family member may need to work different hours, and the elderly parent cannot be left alone each day during that time. Respite care can step in to fill in on a daily basis to cover that needed help.
The types of services provided depend on the circumstances of the situation. Elderly individuals may need constant care and supervision or may not need much care at all. Again, the respite workers can provide for just about any need.
Respite worker services can include providing personal care such as help with dressing, feeding, bathing, toileting, and grooming. They can also provide services around the home such as preparing meals, cleaning up, washing clothing, and handling shopping. Most often, they do not provide medical care as a standard. However, it is possible to obtain respite workers with skilled care licensing. This would allow the individual to provide assistance with physical therapy and medication.
An important part of respite care is providing one-on-one attention and care for the elderly person. This includes providing attention to their needs such as holding a conversation or playing a game for the individual. Most will also spend time walking with the individual and meeting their day to day mental needs.
Respite workers can help those who are suffering from dementia or other forms of mental health concerns. They can also provide a fill-in like service for those who are otherwise healthy.
Respite Care for Alzheimer’s
Taking care of an Alzheimer’s patient or family member 24-hours per day, 7 days per week is draining. Respite care helps caregivers care for themselves while providing safe and professional care for the person with Alzheimer disease. Regardless of the level of advancement of the disease, respite care helps both the patient and the family.
In-home or a short stay in a care facility or both viable options for respite care for people with Alzheimer's disease. There are day programs which provide a safe and secure location in a controlled environment. The same level of care is available for in-home respite care too. Care can come from a home care provider with licensed nursing services or from home care works, such as a home health aide. Shift time can vary too and are arranged to fit the families schedule. Some care is provided as live-in care so that the patient has the same caregiver for a certain number of days or shifts.
Respite Care for Dementia
Respite care for dementia is very similar to respite care for those who suffer from Alzheimer’s disease. The approach to care is different in that they address the individual needs of each patient, but the same because they offer a controlled environment and trained caregivers.
Like with Alzheimer’s disease patients, the family or caregiving team can opt for inpatient respite or in-home respite. Also available are adult day care centers. All offer a controlled environment and inpatient centers are often gated and locked.
Also as with Alzheimer’s patient, respite is available from a variety of sources. You can opt for home care providers with licensed staff such as RNs and Home Health Aides or you might find a home care provider who only offers caregivers – unlicensed but experienced care providers. If the patient is at the end of their life and receiving hospice care, respite is also provided, but by the hospice.
Shift length can vary from 24-hour shifts for home care to hourly shifts for inpatient. Both types of respite care are designed to fit the family’s or caregiver’s needs while addressing the health and wellness needs of the patient.
Respite Care for Strokes
The needs of a stroke patient are somewhat specialized. They often require additional help with mobility, such as transferring from bed to a wheelchair or from a chair to the toilet or shower. This is care that occurs on a 24-hour basis. Some stroke patients also have therapy and exercise as part of their treatment and care.
Respite care for stroke patients can vary in intensity and range from mild to very goal oriented. The difference depends on the patient and the severity of their stroke. A stroke can be debilitating and the condition of the patient can grow more severe as time passes. For caregivers, it is important to be able to run errands, take some time away from the duties of providing care, and to also take advantage of opportunities to learn better ways to provide care. Even at the end of a stroke patients life, respite care is available. End of life care is usually provided by a hospice, but not always.
Shift length for respite care is determined by the needs of the family and caregivers. Shifts for in-home care can range from 24-hour shifts for multiple days to four-hour shifts as needed. This level of respite care helps caregivers and family members run errands such as grocery shopping. Many in-home shifts are 12-hour shifts and occur at night so that the primary caregiver can sleep.
There are facilities that take patients on a per-diem basis, which means you can admit them for a specified length of time, such as a week or weekend. For most seniors who have had a stroke, and are not institutionalized, find respite care from caregivers and home health aids via a home care provider.
Respite Care for Cancer
The idea behind respite care is for both the caregiver and the patient to have a break from each other. Caring is a two-way street and the impact for both the patient and the caregiver can be detrimental if both do not have time to rejuvenate.
Cancer is also a disease that strikes people of all ages and as such, can mean that the primary caregiver is still working, raising children, etc.
Like other forms of respite care, the routine should include a plan of care that addresses the needs of the patient. Cancer is a very large family of diseases and the care for each patient should be specific. Care of the cancer patient and family is not always physical as it can be emotional and mental too. Much depends on the type of cancer and the way in which it affects the patient. Issues like grief and anger are common. As such, specialized and trained professionals make the best respite providers.
Like Alzheimer’s and dementia respite, care of someone with cancer can include both in-home and inpatient setting for respite. The length of shifts also range from four-hour shifts to 24-hour shifts and can be provided by the same person or a team of caregivers. You also have the option of using licensed nurses, such as RNs or LVNs and may need that level of care depending on the needs of the patient. Cancer patients may also need end of life care which can be provided by a hospice.
Respite Care for Disabilities
Caring for those who are disabled either from a physical injury, disease, mental condition or a combination of all of these afflictions is challenging. Respite care for these patients helps to allow caregivers to regroup, learn new caregiving skills, or to just take care of personal business. This level of care can be provided in-home or in a facility.
Like other types of respite care, specialized caregivers are important as it is equally important to meet the care – mentally and physically – of the patient.
Respite care is an extension of the family or caregiver. It should always be carried out by those who are trained to care for the needs of the patient. That means specialized training to understand and care for stroke patients, people with memory disorders, those fighting cancer, and those people who have a disability. Care should be arranged to fit the schedule of both the patient and the caregiver so that the caregiver has time to rest and run errands or visit others.
Where Can I Learn More About Respite Services?
The following organizations provide useful information to caregivers on a variety of topics including respite:
The Alzheimer’s Association provides education and support for people diagnosed with the condition, their families, and caregivers. To find a local chapter closest to you or to order a copy of the association’s respite care guide visit their website at http://www.alz.org or call 800-272-3900.
The Family Caregiver Alliance runs a resource center and publishes fact sheets and a newsletter with tips for family caregivers. The organization can be reached by calling 1-415-434-3388 or visiting its website at:
The National Alliance for Caregiving is a joint venture of several private and governmental agencies. The alliance web site provides useful information and links for caregivers. You can contact this resource by visiting its website at:
Information concerning adult day services can be obtained from the National Adult Day Services Association at (703) 610-9005 or by visiting their website at:
To find out more about hospice programs where you live, you can contact your local aging information and assistance provider or area agency on aging (AAA). The Eldercare Locator, a public service of the Administration on Aging (at 1-800-677-1116 or https://eldercare.acl.gov ) can help connect you to these agencies.
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