Take a Break with a Respite Care Short Term Stay
When a relative or loved one begins to need help with personal care, meal preparation or housekeeping in their home, family caregivers often welcome loved ones into their own homes to ease their worries about their loved one’s welfare. A loved one may face changes in health and well-being when they live alone in their own residence. You may think that becoming a caregiver in your own home can reduce your concerns about their needs and increase your confidence about how safe they are.
But you also may discover that tending to your family’s needs while taking care of your loved one intensifies the strain of responsibilities. Adult children often work outside the home with added demands of meeting financial obligations so juggling the care of a parent or loved one becomes even more complicated. Unpaid family caregivers can spend nearly 20 percent of their personal income on out-of-pocket costs related to helping a loved one, according to an AARP study.
WHAT IS RESPITE STAY?
It’s easy to see how home caregivers could use a break. The burnout caregivers can suffer can be reduced through respite care. This type of care offers short-term relief for primary caregivers. Respite care is also known as short-stay elder care or adult day care. Think of it as vacation stay for the elderly.
HOW OFTEN CAN YOU USE RESPITE STAY?
You can normally choose to have the care scheduled for an afternoon, several days or even weeks at a time. It’s helpful to schedule care whenever the primary caregiver needs to take a break. Your entire family could benefit from the peace of mind it brings – they’ll know your loved one is in a safe place for quality care and that you are able to take a much-needed break. The care is so valuable it can enhance the life of your loved one as well. The older adult will enjoy a change of pace, a new venue, the opportunity to rest and recover with different caretakers, the amenities of the care center and the chance to make friends with other residents.
RESPITE CARE FOR THE ELDERLY WITH DEMENTIA
According to the Alzheimer’s Association, 83% of all caregivers are unpaid family members, relatives, or other friends, and nearly half of all care is for older adults with some form of dementia. Communities like Tiffany Springs have trained memory care specialists who recognize and adapt to your loved one’s physical, emotional and intellectual needs.
ARE YOU SUFFERING FROM CAREGIVER BURNOUT?
If you are just starting out as a caregiver, you will probably experience the joy and rewards of caring for someone you love. But you also may not know the signs of burnout to look for to eliminate. The sacrifice and commitment to caring for a loved one may start taking its toll in small ways that soon can become larger. Lost wages, social isolation and struggles with siblings are just a few challenges you may face.
Taking care of yourself is as important as taking care of someone else. Even if you care for a senior in the short term, you can experience some type of burnout. Paid professionals are able to go to their own homes at the conclusion of their workdays. But you can’t escape.
WHAT TO LOOK FOR WITH CAREGIVER BURNOUT
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Exhaustion.
It’s not sustainable to sacrifice your sleep and your own self-care for the sake of a loved one. In fact, it can be dangerous for you both.
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Frequent Sickness.
When your body is under stress and you lack a good night’s rest, your health can take a dive and you increase the risk of getting sick.
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Sadness and Anger.
It’s easy to ignore your emotional needs. You may be putting your mental health on the back burner and not taking time out for yourself to unwind. But your loved one can notice your feelings and may try to reverse the caretaker role because they love you, too.
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Neglect.
You deserve the right to live your own life. It’s not uncommon for caregivers to feel guilty if they take time for themselves because they may think if they are not giving everything to their loved one, they are neglecting their responsibilities.
TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF WITH RESPITE CARE
Contacting a senior living community like Tiffany Springs that offers respite care is the first step to help you ease the strain of caregiving. We’ll give you all the details of the hours and the days that are available to reserve. You can use the time away to relax and sleep, exercise, or visit with friends. There will be a health pre-screening to ensure the safety of current residents.
TRY A TRIAL DAY OUT
Testing out respite care can be a way to see how your loved one likes the community. It’s an interactive, personal way for them to get acquainted with others who have similar experiences. They can take part in social activities and get to know our staff. A short respite stay can get them immersed in a community without making a long-term commitment.
CALL TO LEARN ABOUT Respite short-term stays AT TIFFANY SPRINGS
In addition to offering respite care services in our Kansas City location, we offer independent living and a full continuum of care including assisted living, memory care, rehabilitation and skilled nursing care.
If you would like more information about our respite care services at Tiffany Springs Senior Living Community, contact us for a personal consultation.