Caring can be exhausting and lonely. The very nature of caring means giving of oneself to the care of others and that can mean that you neglect looking after yourself while you are caring. The benefits of respite care for caregivers are many including rest, recuperation and recharging.
It is estimated that there are 5.8 million unpaid caregivers in the UK. Some of them are providing upwards of 50 hours a week of care to their loved ones (Carers UK). This full time 24/7 care can be exhausting, physically and mentally.
Physically helping someone to move and do daily activities all day everyday is akin to having a heavy lifting job. Respite carers can help with mobility. They are trained to assist people who are unable to move without causing strains. And they can work in teams when required.
Mentally, caregivers are often stretched. They are unable to take time out to relax and de-stress. Even when they are not caring full time, they can be wracked with guilt about not doing enough to support the people that they love.
Respite care can provide an opportunity to take time out, visit friends and family or go shopping in peace. It can give the caregiver the chance to take a breath and recharge before returning to care.
What is respite care and why is it important?
Respite means ‘a short period of rest or relief from something difficult’ and respite care allows the carer to take a break from caring. Respite care is provided in your own home. Our carer/s will attend to the service user for an arranged period of time.
The respite carer will take over the caring duties of the caregiver. This can include feeding, toileting, washing, dressing or helping the person move. Respite care can include accompanying the person to an activity, spending time with the person, and staying overnight to make sure that the person is safe at home.
Overcoming guilt about using respite care
It is very easy to risk burnout by thinking that there is no-one else who can care for the person you are looking after. This is especially true if they have been a long term partner or spouse. There is sometimes a perception that caring for the other person is what a wife or husband does.
It is also true when there is a feeling of obligation. For example, people tell our care team that ‘my parents looked after me when I was a child, now it is my turn to look after them’. But not everyone is destined to be a carer.
Caring for someone who displays challenging behaviour or no longer knows who you are is hard. This is emotionally challenging, but in fact, the loved one who does not know who you are any more may be better off with a trained carer who will know how to handle confusion and aggression.
Another common issue we find is that the service user does not want anyone else to look after them. This can sometimes be put down to stubbornness or fear on their part. It is not easy for them to admit that they need help from a stranger. It is easier to admit it to someone who knows them well. This makes it difficult for the caregiver to seek respite care.
Arranging respite care is good for the caregiver. Taking time out to rest is essential to providing long term care for someone you love. No-one can work long hours for years and in some cases decades without taking a weekend off or a holiday. Taking time off, even for a few hours, can make all the difference.
Arranging emergency respite care
In some cases, respite care has to be arranged quickly due to an emergency. For example, the caregiver is taken into hospital or they need to recuperate from an illness or injury. In this case, Jothno Care & Support can help to put a respite care package into place quickly and efficiently.
If you need emergency respite care call our care team on 020 4548 9300.
Short term or long term respite care
Emergency respite care is typically only required for a short term period. We can provide respite care services for a few hours, a few days or a few weeks. We also provide long term respite care for a few hours a week right up to live in care that is on call 24/7.
The choice between short term or long term respite care is yours to make as a family. At times, a few hours of respite is all that is needed. At others, a caregiver is completely spent and needs to take a longer period of time to recover.
Transitioning into respite care
Jothno Care & Support are specialists in transitioning families into care. Our care team is experienced and professional and we can arrange care provision quickly and painlessly. We will advise you on how best to ease the transition into respite care.
There will be an adjustment period while everyone is getting to know each other. The carers are trained to make this as effortless as possible.
“Jothno Care provided excellent respite care for my husband. The caregivers were attentive, respectful and skilled, allowing me to take a much-needed break. Their professionalism and genuine concern for his well-being made a stressful time much easier to manage. I wholeheartedly recommend their services.”
Seema W
Finding the right fit for respite care
Finding the right fit for respite care is essential to successful care. We are highly recommended by our customers for the level of care that we provide to them and their family.
Respite carers become an integral part of the family or household. Jothno Care & Support focus on ensuring that the family and the service user are matched with the right carer or care team.
We are a culturally diverse organisation and so we are mindful of the different habits, routines and traditions in many cultures. We can tailor care to include particular food requirements, daily activities and observance of events that might be required by faith, culture or family tradition.
The benefits of respite care for family caregivers
Respite care has many benefits for family caregivers. It allows them time to rest and restore their energy levels. This means they can return to care refreshed and ready to continue.
Respite carers are trained to take over and maintain a routine so that family life is not disrupted. They can provide a much needed emotional and physical break from caring for the caregiver. This can be short term, temporary or long term and more comprehensive care.
The main benefit of using respite care is that it allows a caregiver to sustain caring over a long period of time without endangering their own health.