Being a caregiver to a parent or senior loved ones is one of the most challenging and demanding jobs you will ever do, but it is also vital. It can become hectic, and sometimes you need to be reminded that you need time for yourself too.
Your services, compassion, and love are needed daily as an in-home caregiver. To be at your very best, you need to make sure that you practice self-care. Homecare heroes need a break now and again.
Remember that you may have to travel for work, have personal obligations, visit family, or just need a break. When that time comes you need a safe, loving and caring place that has compassion, patients and respect toward your loved one.
What Is Respite Care?
Respite care is a form of service that focuses on providing temporary relief to the caregiver of a loved one. It gives many caregivers a chance to take a break and care for their own needs.
Respite care is when you allow your loved one who is on hospice to be moved to a care facility that is designed to care for your loved one to give you time to care for self or other important things. Respite is for a limited time you allow you to care for your needs or take that well deserved break. Spare a few moments to take care of yourself, but you also need someone to take care of your loved ones. Here are five reasons you may need respite care:
- You Are The Primary Caregiver. When you are the primary caregiver, you are dedicated to providing a safe, secure, and loving environment for your loved one. This means that you must be able to handle a lot of things. You need to take care of your duties while caring for your loved one. There are so many things to remember that you may forget to care for yourself. This can be hard, but it can be challenging if you are the only caregiver.
- You Are In Family Care. Family care is when you become the primary caregiver for a loved one. You may have a parent that needs you to help them every day. This is a difficult situation, and you may feel overwhelmed at times. You can take care of yourself, but you need someone to be with your loved one while you are away.
- You Hire Temporary Caregivers. This is another common situation that many in-home caregivers find themselves in. If you have a leave of absence or must work outside of the home, you need to have someone that can help out, and if you have a family member that can come over, that is a good option. If you have no family, you may have to look for someone outside of your family.
- You are Caring for the Elderly. Caring for your loved one not only requires a lot of time, but also there may be special needs. Therefore, one should carefully consider assisted living facilities who are trained to handle people with special or complicated needs. Sometimes, it is hard for caregivers to give up caring for their loved ones even though it may cause caregiver breakdown as well as physical harm to the caregiver and or loved one.
- When You Just Need A Break. Everyone needs a big break occasionally, which is fine. You’ll need to take care of yourself, thus the reason for respite care. This is very important and will affect how you feel when you return home.
Final Note
Respite care can give you a time of relaxation, self-care and allow you to refocus on your life and catch up on many things that one seems to put aside when becoming a caregiver for a loved one.
The Golden Rule Hospice team not only aids in the care for your loved one on hospice, but also cares for you and your family and makes the end of life experience as difficult as it is a bit more manageable and peaceful.
Contact Golden Rule Hospice Today!
If you’re seeking the best hospice care in Atlanta, Golden Rule Hospice is the place to go. We provide competent, compassionate home hospice care. Call (470) 395-6567 or check our family and caregiver support service to learn more.
