Respite care can be a lifeline for family caregivers and their loved ones. This type of home care typically involves short-term or temporary caregiving visits. These visits make it possible for family caregivers to take time away from unpaid caregiving duties—without compromising the quality of care received by their loved ones.

At Visiting Angels®, we know how difficult caring for a loved one can be. We also know the positive difference respite care can make. If you provide care to a spouse, parent, or grandparent and you need outside assistance, our caregivers are ready to lend a helping hand.

What is Respite Care?

Respite care is a support system for family caregivers. With other types of in-home care, professional caregivers perform the majority of caregiving duties. Respite services, meanwhile, are provided in cases where family caregivers are performing most of this work on their own.

If you're one of the 40+ million Americans who acts as a family caregiver, this type of care can make a world of difference. Family caregivers are at high risk of physical and mental exhaustion that the term "caregiver burnout" is now commonplace.

In-home respite care can substantially reduce your risk of burnout and make caring for your loved one more manageable. If you need time to rest and recuperate, Visiting Angels can provide care services to your loved one while you spend time caring for yourself. If the daily or weekly routine of caregiving has become overwhelming, we can perform regular respite visits to reduce your workload.

Respite Services

In-home respite care from Visiting Angels can include a wide range of caregiving services.

In addition to standard services like companion care and personal care, our local agencies offer a number of specialized services, including Alzheimer's care and dementia care. If your loved one requires specialized care, respite visits can be provided by skilled caregivers with expertise in these areas.

Some of the most common tasks performed by our respite caregivers include:

• Laundry
• Light housekeeping
• Meal preparation
• Medication reminders
• Assistance with activities of daily living (such as dressing, grooming, and bathing)

In most cases, respite care is provided on a short-term or temporary basis. However, respite visits can also be performed on a routine basis on a weekly, biweekly, or monthly schedule. Our flexible approach to care planning and scheduling is designed to make sure you and your loved one get the respite care services you need.

Getting Started with Respite Care

Simply contact your local office to request a care consultation. We provide families with a free, no obligation consultation before starting with home care. This allows us to better understand the kinds of services you need. We can also answer any questions you have about our approach to caregiving.

In some situations, respite caregiving is needed on short notice. In these cases, we also encourage you to contact your local agency. We can fast-track the care planning and scheduling process to ensure a caregiver is available for your loved one.

All care providers at your local Visiting Angels have been carefully screened and selected prior to placement, and we take measures to find the right caregiver for every care recipient. That's true no matter what kind of care we're providing, including short-term and temporary caregiving.

Ready to get started with respite care? Contact your local Visiting Angels office today!