Respite Support at Home

When planning a short respite break for family or friends caring for an elderly loved one, people often look to move the person receiving care into a Care Home, however this is not the only option.   Particularly for those living with dementia, respite support at home can be a better option as it does not involve the upheaval of needing to move to a different environment.   Ann Msichili, who works as an Occupational Therapist and recently joined one of our Dementia Friends sessions shared some of her thoughts with us about the benefits of having respite support at home.

When planning a short respite break for family or friends caring for an elderly loved one, people often look to move the person receiving care into a Care Home, however this is not the only option.
 
Particularly for those living with dementia, respite support at home can be a better option as it does not involve the upheaval of needing to move to a different environment.
 
Ann Msichili, who works as an Occupational Therapist and recently joined one of our Dementia Friends sessions shared some of her thoughts with us about the benefits of having respite support at home.
 
“There are generally two types of respite that I have come across. Emergency and arranged respite.
 
Emergency respite could be because the spouse or other main carer is admitted to hospital or at the point of breaking down. Arranged respite provides a tempting break to relieve a carer.
 
People want to live independently at home for as long as possible and respite care in the home can be the best option. For family carers, arranging for a professional Care Worker to be there means they can spend a few hours recuperating with friends, a day out or even a period of time away on holiday.
 
Particularly for those living with dementia, respite at home can be more meaningful and have many benefits, such as staying independent and around friends for as long as possible.
Respite care at home can include things such as someone popping in for a cup of tea, doing a little housework, preparation of meals and support with personal care. It can vary from an hour up to a full 24 hour day and gives the main carer a break.
 
Respite care can provide support for a temporary or regular break (such as once or twice a week). There are a few routes I discuss with families when talking about respite care. Each route is based on making sure the individual has the best care support possible for them and often involves support at home.
 
Care Home places can be sometimes hard to find which at times makes support at home a more viable option. With the added benefits of maintaining familiar surroundings, using equipment they are familiar with and also being around friends/pets, I often find that
support at home is the preferred option.
 
Respite care is a very good solution because it gives those providing care time to rest and recoup, whilst ensuring that a loved one continues to receive care safely at home.”

Whatever your needs, call us on 01732 373 024 to talk to one of our friendly staff.