As a caregiver, it’s your responsibility to maintain the physical and social care of your aging loved ones. However, it can get overwhelming at times and lead to burnout when you forget to take care of your own needs. Home health care agencies can help prevent this burnout from occurring and give you a much-needed break while your loved one receives the proper senior care they need. Here’s your complete guide to respite care.
What Is Respite Care?
Respite care assists those who are aging in place and who rely on unpaid family members to help them with daily tasks they can’t do on their own. Most seniors who receive home care are over 65 years old and typically need help with activities such as bathing and getting in and out of bed. Currently, there are 40 million unpaid caregivers in the U.S. taking care of aging parents. Many of these caregivers are holding down full-time jobs while taking care of their aging parents. This can make it incredibly difficult to accomplish things such as running errands, enjoying personal hobbies, socializing with friends, taking care of their own needs, or getting away for a vacation.
Respite in-home care gives these caregivers a temporary break whenever it’s needed the most. This elder care can be provided for a few hours or several weeks. It can greatly reduce the potential for abuse or neglect and can help a senior through a difficult period of an injury from a fall or an acute illness.
Types of Respite Providers
Depending on your financial situation, there are a few options you can consider for a respite provider. Before you choose one, you should carefully consider what your needs are. Do you only need care for a few hours so you can run errands or spend some quality time with your spouse or friends? Do you want to get away for an extended period of time to go on vacation? How much care does your aging loved one need and are you comfortable with having a provider in your home?
Informal respite is ideal if you only need a break for a few hours a week. Adult daycare centers can give your aging loved one a chance to socialize with others in your community while you take care of your own needs. Professional caregivers are an option if the senior has specific medical needs and needs assistance with activities of daily living.
Respite Service Costs
The costs for respite services are typically paid for out-of-pocket Private insurance or Medicare generally doesn’t pay for these costs unless the senior is also receiving hospice services. How much respite services will cost you highly depends on the type you choose and whether or not there are assistance programs available to help you cover them. To give you a general idea, the average cost for adult day care services is approximately $1,560 nationwide. A home health aide can cost around $23 an hour.
There are numerous resources available online and in your community that can help you find the respite services you need. If you need assistance with individualized care, A Spectrum of Care can help you find the best care for your unique situation. Contact us today for more information.
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