What is Respite Care?
Respite care is a temporary form of hospice care that often takes place in a Medicare-certified facility, may last up to 5 consecutive days and aims to provide caregivers a break from their duties without compromising the patient’s care. During a respite period, patients receive the same high-quality hospice services they would at home, including; pain and symptom management, 24/7 professional medical support, and emotional and spiritual care in comfortable, dignified surroundings. At Generations Health Care Inc., we encourage respite care because we understand need for caregivers to engage in self-care.
When Would Someone Need Respite Care?
Respite care is often used to prevent caregiver burnout. This is a type of emotional depletion that can leave caregivers feeling physically and emotionally exhausted. This emotional depletion can eventually manifest into physical symptoms like:
- Fatigue
- Headaches
- Anger
- Depression
- Irritability
- Weakened immunity
- Difficulty concentrating
These symptoms can affect how well caregivers provide care and may put patients at risk. At Generations Health Care, Inc., we often see this type of exhaustion in family members in the caregiving role who are not getting enough support from other family members and have unrealistic expectations. Sometimes needing respite care doesn’t mean the caregiver is experiencing burnout. Sometimes caregivers need to run errands or attend family events, such as funerals, and require someone to look after their patient for a short while.
The Benefits of Respite Care
Respite care offers the following benefits:
- Reduced stress
- Improved mental health
- Improved physical health
- Renewed energy
It’s not just the caregiver who benefits from respite care. Patients benefit from interacting with different carers who bring fresh approaches, energy, and empathy while being offered consistent, uninterrupted care in a stable, nurturing environment.
