As an elderly person’s primary caregiver, there is always a concern that you may not be able to fulfil your responsibilities.

You may be taken ill or suffer an accident, you might have an event to attend or maybe you just need a break.

Whatever the case may be, the pressures placed on primary carers is something that the national care infrastructure takes into account.

With this in mind, a number of private and public institutions provide a range of respite services for the elderly. These services are designed to ensure the individual is properly and attentively cared for whilst their primary caregiver receives a much-needed break.

What is temporary respite care for the elderly?

Respite care services provide short-term care to a dependent elderly person when their primary carer is unable to do so.

These services can be provided by friends or family, volunteers, charities, government institutions, private workers, or care homes.

Depending on the needs and mobility of the dependent person, respite services for the elderly can be carried out within the home or at a specialised centre.

Types of respite care services

There are various types of respite care services available, including regular visits from loved ones, friends or volunteers. Short visits are a great way of showing support to a carer, providing them with anything from a short break to run errands to a much-needed day of rest. If there are no family members or volunteer services in your area, hiring a sitter may be a good option.

Although most dependent people like the routine and security offered by their carers, many agree that these small temporary changes inject a refreshing dose of brightness and novelty into their lives. Day centres can also provide a much needed opportunity to socialise, whilst making sure that care needs are met.

If more regular help is required, home care services may be the ideal solution. If the primary carer’s situation changes, for example, if they can no longer drive at night, are undergoing medical treatment or have regular commitments to attend to at certain times during the day, homecare could be arranged during those hours.

Full-time home care could also be arranged if the primary caregiver suffers an accident or is for some other reason unable to carry out their caring duties for any given period of time.

Care homes can offer more intensive respite care for those who have a greater degree of dependency, including complications such as dementia. Respite care home services are also suitable for those recovering from operations or medical treatment who aren’t quite ready to take the step to return home. They can offer an “all needs covered” break when their carer is on holiday or unable to provide care.

These short breaks can provide a glimpse of the social life and variety that modern care homes offer residents, and may serve as an introduction to the comfort that care homes provide, should full-time care be a consideration for the future.

Why might someone need respite care?

Despite our best intentions, we are all only human. Providing full-time care for another person is a round-the-clock job with no days off.

Although respite care is made available for carers to be able to take much-needed time off for holidays, to travel or to carry out administrative tasks, the most common use of respite services for the elderly occurs when a primary carer has an accident, is taken ill, or dies.

This illustrates the importance of taking some time to plan for respite care for your loved one as, only too often, respite care is needed at the time when the main carer isn’t available to arrange it.

How can I plan short-term care for the elderly?

Making a plan for respite care is something that every primary care provider should consider and discuss with their nearest and dearest.

As a caregiver, you know all about the dependent person’s likes, dislikes, routines, medications and habits. Detail all of these things in a document or schedule that will help any other caregiver provide the most familiar and comforting service possible to your loved one.

Make sure that a family member or close friend knows about your care responsibilities and has access to the dependent person’s home, should you be unable to provide care for whatever reason.

Leave a copy of your schedule, medical treatment regime, or care document in the dependent person’s home, so that it can easily be located by another caregiver.

If you have made arrangements for emergency respite care with a care worker or care home, make sure that your emergency contact is aware of this and that all the contact details for the worker or centre are available.

Can I get funding for respite care?

Respite care needs for carers are contemplated within the British healthcare system and care infrastructure.

To qualify for council funding for respite care, carers must complete a carer’s assessment and an additional evaluation must be carried out on the care needs of the dependent person.

Other respite care funding options include applying to charities such as ‘Turn2Us’ or ‘Carer’s Trust’ for help.

Further information on respite care services for the elderly and applying for funding can be obtained from your local Council or from the NHS.

Private respite care for the elderly

Arranging for respite stays in a care home is a popular option as this offers complete care around the clock from qualified and experienced professionals. Here at Jackman’s Lodge, we are proud to provide a safe setting that is designed to cater to the specific care needs of the elderly individual. We encourage all of our residents to maintain as much of their independence as possible, whilst making sure every single one of their care needs is met during their respite stay.

If you would like more information on the temporary respite care services a care home can offer, get in touch with Jackman’s Lodge. Our compassionate team will do everything they can to make sure your loved one feels at home during their stay at our care home in Surrey. We are proud of the standard of respite care that we provide all of our elderly residents, with tailored care plans to suit their exact needs.

Our friendly team is on hand to answer any questions you may have regarding elderly respite care or any of our care home services. Call us on 01483 761779 or click here for more information.