Caregiving is a demanding and challenging job. It’s okay if you need to take a break and relax for a little while. It’s also okay to get away for a weekend, or go out of town for a family event or high school reunion. This is where overnight respite care comes in. Many long-term care facilities offer overnight respite care for your loved one.
Even if you’re not planning on jetting away sometime soon, consider looking into facilities that provide overnight respite care now. Emergencies happen, and it’s better to be prepared and have a place that you know and trust to leave your loved one. For people with Alzheimer’s disease or other dementia, it is especially important to plan ahead. People with dementia often have trouble adjusting to new environments, so it’s important to get them used to an overnight respite care facility before you need to go out of town.
Overnight respite care will give you the comfort of leaving your loved one in the hands of trained care professionals who are there to provide round-the-clock care. Many residential facilities offer overnight respite care for a short period of time.
If the idea of placing your loved one in a facility for even a few days is unappealing, you can hire a private duty nurse to provide overnight care for your loved one in the home.
Remember, providing overnight respite care for your loved one does not make you a failure as a caregiver. Many caregivers feel guilty when they provide their loved one with respite care. Caregivers are more likely to experience exhaustion, isolation and depression. Taking a weekend getaway or traveling out of town for your grown child’s wedding is okay. As a caregiver, it is important for you to remain engaged and to take care of yourself, so that you can provide the best care for your loved one.
Start investigating overnight respite care now, talk to people you know, do some research and find a place or person that you are comfortable with. Most overnight respite care services do not accept insurance, but look around; some facilities offer scholarships or payment on a sliding scale. Overnight respite care will not only provide quality care for your loved one, it could help make you a better caregiver.
The Family Caregiver’s Newsletter articles are created for Active Daily Living by leading experts in aging and also The Benjamin Rose Institute on Aging, a nationally recognized leader addressing the most important issues of aging through service, research and advocacy. As a champion for older adults, BRIA works to advance their health, independence and dignity. The organization has established itself as a trusted resource for people who counsel, care for and advocate on behalf of older adults throughout the U.S.
