Happy, Healthy Recovery – How to Make the Most of Respite Care

Whilst respite care is a service most people have heard of, it’s also one that many don’t fully understand the benefits of. Respite care is a planned or impromptu care service which is focused primarily on short-term assistance, wherein residents are supported by a carer in lieu of family or loved ones. Respite care doesn’t look the same for each and every person, with many requiring the services at different points in life. If respite care is a route you are considering, here is how you can make the most of it.

Flexible options

Aged care is not a one-size-fits-all system, especially when considering respite care in NSW. Discuss the best options with your family, so that the respite care solution you choose will be best for your lifestyle. Respite care can be offered in an in-home, community-access, residential aged care facility, centre-based, flexible, overnight, or a weekend capacity. That means you can have as much or little structure as you wish while receiving the exact care solution that will best benefit your circumstances. Often, a person will receive respite care on alternating weekends and can develop into an every weekend occurrence if required.

Enriched lives for all

The beauty of respite care comes from what it can offer both resident and families. Caring for an elderly loved isn’t always possible 365 days of the year. Respite care bridges that gap, allowing families freedom to honour commitments outside of the caring duties, knowing that their loved ones are in great hands for that temporary or prolonged period. It also offers your elderly loved one an opportunity to receive professional care, and a chance to make a new friend. For families who are not yet ready to enter their loved ones into a traditional aged care community, this is a first step and a more casual solution that benefits everyone.

Engagement

Respite care is a welcome solution for many older men and women, exposing them to social interactions with carers who are trained to provide physical and mental support. This can encompass cooking, cleaning, managing health, or even just a chat over a cup of tea. For many families, respite care offers a two-pronged solution which caters to the care as well as social needs.

Independence

Families mean well when they care for the needs of their elderly loved ones, but in doing so, they can unintentionally disrupt some of the defined habits and identity traits that are established in the lives of their loved ones. Retaining a strong sense of independence and identity is integral at this stage of life, and respite care will encourage that sense of self by carers aligning to their lives, rather than the other way around. In the spirit of independence, it goes without saying that your elderly loved one should have an active role in selecting their respite care package.

Respite care is an incredible offering and one that has allowed all to make the most of life, allowing for more time to bond on a deeper level. Explore all of your options and decide whether or not a respite care package is what your family would like to enter into. The more research and candid conversations that you have will inform a greater understanding of the care required.