Respite care is an important part of the caregiving process for any family that cares for older adults in the home. Yet many people don't know about this option or understand how to access it. Find out more about respite care below by reading up on a few facts and stats about this care model.

What Is Respite Care?

Respite care is professional care that offers a respite, or break, for family caregivers. This type of service is provided through a variety of models, including in-home care and care in a community setting.

Many assisted living and memory care communities offer respite care, allowing individuals to become temporary residents of the community. In these cases, the individual benefits from all the amenities and activities within the community, including meals and dining options, social calendars and appropriate clinical support.

Some common reasons family caregivers seek respite care services include:

• The primary family caregiver simply needs some rest.
• The family or caregiver is traveling for vacation or work.
• A big change is happening in the family, such as a move, marriage or birth.
• The primary caregiver has their own medical situation to attend to, such as a scheduled surgery.

Numerous Factors Can Lead to a Need for Respite Care

According to data published by the National Library of Medicine, numerous factors can make respite care necessary for families or primary caregivers. They include but aren't limited to:

• The health status of the older adult. Caring for an older adult who can manage most activities of daily living well and stay on their own for a few hours each day requires a different effort than caring for someone with dementia who needs constant supervision. When the older adult being cared for has a care-heavy condition, caregivers can burn out faster.
• The health status of the caregiver. The reverse is also true. If a caregiver has their own chronic health condition to contend with, they may need more breaks from caregiving.
• The health status of someone else in the family. Often, family caregivers are adult children with families of their own. If a child gets seriously ill or injured or someone else in the family has a time of need, respite care can free the caregiver to attend to this new requirement.
• Feeling of isolation or loneliness. Caregiving can be a lonely task. Family caregivers may forgo their own interests and social time to care for a loved one, and respite care offers a bit of time to seek out friends or spend time with partners.
• A lack of time in a certain season. In some cases, family caregivers may find they run out of time every day to do what needs to be done. For example, if a child is going off to college or a sister is getting married, there may be familial demands on the caregiver outside of caring for their loved one.
• Providing care for more than 30 hours per week. According to the NLM data, when caregivers provide more than 30 hours per week of care on a regular basis, they have a greater need for respite care. This is understandable, as 30 hours a week is very close to a full-time job, and no one expects someone to work 52 weeks a year with no break or vacation.
  
  

A Few Hours of Respite Care Makes a Big Difference

For many caregivers, a small break makes a big difference. Regular family caregivers see a difference with as little as 4 hours of respite care a week. Respite care in a community for a few days each season can create opportunities for caregivers to rest, enjoy vacations, spend time with other family members or handle big projects they can't attend to when providing care.

Respite Care Can Reduce Dangerous Bad Habits

Caregiving can be a stressful task, especially when it's stacked on top of the rest of your life. Some people attempt to juggle family obligations, full- or part-time jobs and care of an older loved one. This level of doing and never resting can lead to bad habits that are dangerous for you and the person you're caring for.

Caregivers who carry on without any respite are at risk of turning to substances to manage stress. That can range from overeating to smoking to abusing drugs or alcohol. Any of these are bad for your health, and they can also make you unable to care appropriately for your loved one.

Another habit many caregivers don't realize they're falling into is chronic lack of sleep. When your day seems completely spoken for by the needs of others, you might stay up late at night to try to relax or enjoy your own hobbies. But a lack of sleep can lead to poor mental and physical health as well as increased mistakes when caring for your loved one, putting you both in danger.

Your Loved One Might Also Need a Break From You

Often caregivers don't seek out respite care because they feel guilty about saying they need a break. But consider this: If you're the one primarily caring for someone, a few days or weeks in respite care might give them a much-needed break from you too.