Anyone with caregiving responsibilities knows that it takes tremendous energy and commitment to ensure that loved ones are safe and cared for as best as possible. But most mere mortals have a breaking point- they’ll need to step back, recharge and replenish their caregiving commitment with a little time away from their charge. If you or a caregiver you know have hit that wall, then you need to explore Respite Care.

Whether for an afternoon or a week, in your home or in a facility, there are varied sources of temporary respite care to help meet your needs and the needs of your care recipient. And while you may feel guilt or worry about your desire to step away, there are important reasons to occasionally do so. These include the value of having fresh eyes take a look at your caregiving situation and the importance of your own health and well-being in continuing your caregiving role. For a comprehensive review of respite care, its parameters, costs and the sorts of arrangements available, take an afternoon off and read here. 

And once you explore respite care, you may come to realize that hiring someone to help on a more ongoing basis makes sense. If that’s the case, you may want to explore hiring a “companion” for your loved one. A recent article in Next Avenue highlighted the potential value of a companion: the caregiver gets some downtime, the care recipient gets company, and the companion herself may be an older person looking for a valuable volunteer opportunity. Companion care can run the gamut from a meaningful conversation or light housekeeping and chores to more robust activities including outings and cultural activities. The boundaries of companion care can expand to include emotional support and engagement and the arrangements can be as modest as an occasional volunteer all the way to a paid and ongoing commitment from a trained professional. Depending on your need and budget, you should be able to find appropriate companion care for your loved one and some time off for yourself. So settle down with some tea and read more about companion care here and here.