Respite care is a short-term service for those who perform in-home hospice caregiving. Whether this person is a family member or a part-time professional, this service provides the caregiver with relief so they can handle their personal matters while their loved one is properly cared for.
Direct-Support professionals, or Respite Care Providers, offer these services to provide temporary substitute care to help prevent the breakdown of the primary caregiver. Continuous support and care for the dependant can be a physical and emotional stressor for the primary caregiver(s). In-Home Respite services offer temporary care for when this person needs a respite to regroup or take care of pressing matters in their own life.
Generally speaking, there are two types of respite care. In-Home Respite Care, and Out-Of-Home Respite Care. These may seem self-explanatory, but they certainly merit a degree of rumination.
In-Home Respite services provided by awake and alert Direct-Support Professionals are specifically designed to provide temporary substitute care normally provided by a family member or a specialized family care provider. The services are to be used for relief of the primary caregiver(s) to help prevent the breakdown of the primary caregiver(s) due to the physical burden and emotional stress of providing continuous support and care to the dependent member. In-Home Respite services consist of temporary care services for an individual who cannot provide for all of their own needs.
Out-of-Home Respite services are provided out of the home where the individual resides and are provided by awake and alert direct-support professionals are specifically designed to provide temporary substitute care normally provided by a family member or a specialized family care provider. Respite for the primary caregiver can also occur anytime the primary caregiver is not providing care to the member, thus, when a child is in school, the primary caregiver is receiving a form of respite. When the member is attending a Facility-Based Day program, then the primary caregiver is receiving a form of respite, etc. When a child is visiting with their non-custodial parent then this is considered an unpaid or natural type of respite for the primary caregiver. Not all forms of respite are paid services. Anytime the primary caregiver can get a break from providing care, then this is a form of respite. The services are to be used for relief of the primary caregiver(s) to help prevent the breakdown of the primary caregiver(s) due to the physical burden and emotional stress of providing continuous support and care to the dependent member. Out-of-Home Respite services consist of temporary care services for an individual who cannot provide for all of their own needs and are comfortable with a change in scenery.
Medicare will cover the patient’s transport as well as five consecutive days of care at a Medicare-approved hospital or nursing facility. In many cases, Medicare guidelines permit more than one instance of respite care. Each period can last no more than five consecutive days, which includes the day they are admitted but not the day they are discharged.
You may benefit from respite care as a primary caregiver if you are:
Taking the time to rest and recover from your duties as a caregiver is not only helpful for your physical and mental health, but it can also make you a better caregiver by preventing burnout and restoring your energy. Don’t feel guilty about needing respite care. There are potential long-term benefits for both you and your loved one if you take a break.
Lending your continuous emotional support can often be more draining than physical care. If you as a primary caregiver are burnt out mentally it can affect the harmony between you and the dependant as well as the physical energy you are able or willing to exert.
Respite caregivers can step in to provide the primary caregiver with the opportunity to connect with friends and family, restore interest in a hobby, enjoy important life events, or simply go on a vacation. Even if that vacation is on the couch. After a respite, the primary caregiver can return with renewed focus, energy, and determination to the person in their care.
Respite care can also just be used for as little as a few hours a week to supplement regular ongoing care. This can help with scheduling conflicts, as well as give the dependent individual interactions with other people that may not occur naturally.
Professional In-Home Respite caregivers may be more equipped to deal with certain situations like symptom management. They also have a fresh perspective based on a wealth of past experience that they can offer to help the primary caregiver when the torch is handed back to them.
It also can benefit the person you are caring for by providing them with new people to meet, additional stimulation, or even a change in routine to break up the monotony.
Our caring and compassionate team can help you with your hospice respite care needs. Contact our team today to learn more!