Senior Care Resources

What Do Seniors Need to Know About Respite Care?

When seniors know more about respite care and how it works, they’re more likely to embrace it and the benefits it brings. 
Respite care provides a needed recharge for family caregivers while ensuring uninterrupted care for their senior loved ones.
Respite care provides a needed recharge for family caregivers while ensuring uninterrupted care for their senior loved ones.

Caring for aging adults is such an important job, and family caregivers balance a lot of different responsibilities. Often, they are so busy that they find that they don’t have the time or energy to take care of their own needs, even when they know that’s essential for them to do. Respite care services offer a way for family caregivers to set things aside for a little while and focus on their own needs.

Sometimes, aging adults don’t know enough about respite time to feel comfortable with this type of help.

 

Respite Care Is Important

Respite care is a really important form of home care. The basic idea is that professional caregivers visit seniors in their homes. They learn about the seniors’ needs and work with families to offer the types of care that they need.

Family caregivers are then able to leave and take care of whatever other things they need to do. That means they might go to work, go to the doctor, take a nap, or do any number of other things. When they come back, they take over caregiving duties again.

 

It Helps Everyone

Respite care is vital because it helps family caregivers take time away from caregiving duties. They are better able to focus on needs and responsibilities that don’t involve caregiving at all.

But respite care services are helpful for seniors as well. They get a chance to spend time around other people and also get a break from their family caregivers.

None of this is negative or meant to imply that family caregivers aren’t really being helpful. But it helps everyone to spend time with other people and to have different experiences.

 

Respite Care Is Flexible

One really important factor about respite care is how flexible it can be. Home care providers can be there on a set schedule or on short notice. They can offer just companionship or help seniors with more complicated tasks. The type of care that families need is what they’re able to request.

As seniors experience changes in their needs, respite care services can adapt the help they offer to meet those needs.

 

Respite Care Doesn’t Mean Family Caregivers Won’t Come Back

Sometimes, what worries seniors about respite time is that family caregivers seek a way to escape caregiving and all that it entails. That can be a valid fear when families consider how much responsibility is involved in being a family caregiver.

The reality is that even if family caregivers need a break, that doesn’t mean that they’re never going to come back. Caregiving is a big commitment, and family caregivers are there for the long run. Using respite care doesn’t mean that they’re running away.

 

Respite care providers offer family caregivers the assistance they need to reset and prevent burnout from becoming a serious issue for them. Families can use respite time in a variety of different ways, benefiting both family caregivers and aging adults.

Coming back to caregiving duties with a fresh perspective ensures that family caregivers spend less time feeling overwhelmed and overworked.

 

 

 

If you or an aging loved one is considering Respite Care in Ladue, MO, please contact the caring staff at Pear Tree Home Care today! (314) 942-9411

Pear Tree Home Care Provides Senior Home Care Services in St. Louis, Ladue, Chesterfield, Town and Country, Clayton, Des Peres, St. Charles, Wildwood, Brentwood, Maryland Heights, Lake St. Louis, O’Fallon, Kirkwood, Webster Groves, Arnold, Oakville, Mehlville, Creve Coeur, St. Louis City, St. Louis County, St. Charles County, Franklin County, Warren County, Jefferson County, and surrounding areas.

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