Senior adults with ailments can receive medical attention at home, hospitals, respite care facilities, or nursing homes. Respite care is an arrangement that offers an incapacitated or ailing person short-term care. If you have considered hiring a respite care service, read the excerpt below to understand how the service works.
How Does Respite Care Work?
Respite care is an arrangement where seniors receive short-term care from someone other than their primary caregiver or nurse. So why would a senior need short-term care? Well, there are two instances. First, a senior discharged from the hospital may not have someone to cater to their needs before they recover fully. In this case, they could move into a respite care facility and return home when they are fully healed. Second, a primary caregiver might need to take a break. If they cannot find a family member to step in when they are away, they could hire a respite care service.
What Are The Benefits Of Respite Care
One of the main benefits of respite care services is that they offer dignified care to seniors. Sometimes, family members who do not have any experience in taking care of ailing seniors could provide poor quality care, which could lead to health issues. For instance, an improper diet could cause indigestion and low immunity. On the other hand, the patient could develop bedsores if they are not turned in bed.
Respite care also allows primary caregivers to take regular breaks without feeling that they abandoned their loved ones. Breaks are an essential component of providing aged care. Typically, they enable the caregiver to refresh and relax. Caregivers who do not take breaks are likely to fall into a depression since providing aged care can be strenuous. Seeing your loved one's health deteriorate could take an emotional toll on you. Breaks enable you to reflect on your experiences and accept the condition of your loved one.
Home-Based Respite Care Versus Respite Care Facilities
Most caregivers will be conflicted over whether to go for home-based care or take their loved ones to a specialised facility. Well, your needs and your loved one's condition will help you determine a suitable option. For example, if your loved one would like to socialise with other seniors, it would be reasonable to take them to a respite care facility. You could also choose this option if you cannot find a caregiver to take care of your incapacitated patient 24/7. On the other hand, home care would be perfect if your loved one prefers to stay at home.