Caregivers! Consider Respite Care

Caregivers! Consider Respite Care - If you are a family caregiver, you undoubtedly, experience stress on a daily basis concerning your care recipient. You often feel exhausted but when you do take a break you have that nagging worry in the back of your mind that your loved one is not being cared for. Luckily, there are services out there that provide you with short-term temporary relief from your caregiving responsibilities called respite care services.

In the US today there are more than 50 million people caring for family members in their own home. Close to 80% of all long term care is provided by family caregivers for people with disabilities and brain-impairing conditions such as Alzheimers disease. Family caregivers annually save the government billions of dollars. There are a few different types of respite care:

1.    In-Home Respite- This is the most popular type of respite where a temporary caregiver comes to the home, learns the routines, the types of medicine to be administered, etc. Friends, neighbors, and paid professional caregivers usually take up the care. Depending on which state you live in, Medicaid and Medicare can help offset the respite care expenses.

2.    Specialized Facility- The care recipient can go to specialized facilities and receive care for a few days up to a few weeks. The advantage is the trained staff and specialized equipment.

3.    Emergency Respite- These services are provided in times of emergency. Many home heatlh care agencies, health centers, and adult day care programs provide these emergency services.

4.    Sitter Companion Service- These are often sponsored by local civic groups, church and faith-based groups, and other community organizations. A sitter companion's responsibilities are often less than a caregiver's. They are most often trained in cases of emergencies.

If you are seeking respite care, there are many options at your finger tips. Be sure to ask around in your community. Many programs are free of charge.