A Guide to Respite Care
Caring for a close friend or family member can be an incredibly rewarding experience. Providing support to someone when they need it most and making life-changing contributions is a selfless act. However, this demanding work can become overwhelming at times, often requiring careers to take some time for themselves.
Respite care is the term used to acknowledge this time spent time looking after yourself. Here we explore respite options to help you decide what type might best suit your situation.
Daycare centres
Those who find it difficult to get out and about will benefit from daycare centres. They will be able to socialise and take part in activities with other people whilst making friends. You may need to pay for this, but there are ways to source council funding following a needs assessment.
Paid for home care
Homecare visits will allow for you to have a little more time to yourself with visits from a carer allowing you to step back and focus on other things. Homecare can be flexible depending on your needs. However, if the person requires constant support, then live-in care is often the most appropriate option.
Sitting service
Sitting services are a great option for those looking to get support for a few hours at a time. Trained carers will volunteer themselves to support people. Usually, this service is free, however, there could be a fee. These fees are not normally expensive, as they are often run by charities or carer organisations.
A short visit to a care home or centre
It’s not always easy to book someone into a care home or centre with little notice. If you’re able to plan ahead, you may find this is the best route to securing accommodation. Not all care providers will offer short stays, so you may need to look around for ones that do.
Respite holiday
Respite holidays offer carers and recipients of care an opportunity to get away from their everyday lives. Many respite holidays are funded and run by charities such as MindforYou, which support people living with dementia. If you or a person you care for requires a break, a respite holiday could be a beneficial option.
If you or your loved one would benefit from respite care, then get in touch with the Wessex Care team today to discuss how we can help you.