How Respite Care Can Help

Everyone needs a break once in a while. Even devoted, loving family members who want to care for their aging senior loved ones. In fact, caregivers are among the groups that could most benefit from a break, even if it is just a short afternoon away. Short breaks are called respites and are necessary for good physical and mental health, according to the CDC. The Mayo Clinic says that caregivers report higher levels of stress than others. This can lead to burnout and even manifest in physical and emotional problems. This is where Respite Care can help. Home care agencies, such as Visiting Angels Fort Worth, offer respite care to give family members and loved ones a break from caregiving.

What Happens During Respite Care

With respite care, a trained professional home care worker can come into your senior’s home for as little or as much time as you need to offer you a much-needed break, and to watch over your senior loved one. During your time away, your senior loved one will continue to get the standard of care they are used to. Knowing your senior loved ones are getting high-quality care while you are away can help give caregivers peace of mind. 

Times When You Can Use Respite Care

Visiting Angels will customize its care services to meet your respite care needs. Depending on your situation, the services can vary. For example, maybe you just need an afternoon to catch up on other aspects of your life, such as paying bills, correspondence or sleep. Respite care can help with that. If you think setting up a weekly coffee date with a friend at Cherry Coffee Shop, lounging in their comfy chairs while sipping some good brew, will help give you the break you need, you can use respite care for that. Or maybe you need longer away for a special occasion. For example, maybe you need to head out of town for a wedding or want to go on vacation to celebrate your anniversary. Respite Care can help with that.

Visiting Angels Fort Worth offers three types of respite care:

• Temporary Care. Temporary care ensures seniors are cared for when family caregivers are on vacation or are temporarily unavailable because of an emergency.
• Part-Time Care. Part-time care includes ongoing services for a few hours each week, so family caregivers can enjoy more free time and regain balance in their lives.
• Support Care. In this cooperative model of care, professional care providers support family caregivers to make the process of delivering care more manageable.

Families and their senior loved ones can talk and decide which of these options will best meet their needs. Visiting Angels will work with you to ensure you feel safe and secure in your choice while your loved one is away.

A Break Can Help Both Caregivers and Seniors

A short break with respite care can help both family members and their senior loved ones. Often, when we care for our loved ones non-stop, we can lose patience, take things for granted or be on edge. Even though often there is no place else we’d rather be, it can take a toll. Seniors often feel bad if they realize they are holding their loved ones back from something else they would enjoy more. Respite care gives both sides a break. While you might be away enjoying time with friends or even taking a nap, that break can bring you back to your senior loved one refreshed and even appreciating them more. The same can go for them, as they can sense the lift in your spirits. A short time away can be good all around for everyone, especially with the peace of mind that senior loved ones are getting top-quality care while you are gone.

Visiting Angels is Here to Help

If you are looking for someone to help the seniors in your life, our caregivers at Visiting Angels Fort Worth can help. Our professionally-trained caregivers can help with a variety of services, including companion care, personal care, fall prevention, respite care and more, all of which are tailored just for the needs of your seniors and you. We also offer specialty care services, helping seniors suffering from dementia and Alzheimers.

We serve seniors in the Ft. Worth area, including Aleda, Annetta, Annetta N, Annetta S, Willow Park, Lakeside, White Settlement, Benbrook, River Oaks and Westworth Village. We can come to your home, find out what needs you have, and develop a care plan tailored to your needs. Reach out online or call us at (817) 877-1616 for more information.

If you are interested in caring for senior clients in the community, visit us online to find out more about a career in home care.