Providing any level of care for a friend or relative is a significant undertaking and it can take its toll on you in all sorts of ways over time… which is why it’s so important to make sure you take regular breaks from your caring responsibilities to allow you to focus on other areas of life, to rest and to recharge.
This is where respite care comes into its own, where you enlist the services of professional caregivers to provide your loved one with the support they need without you having to worry that care standards will be compromised.
How does respite care work?
There are various different types of respite care that you can fall back on in times of need, including at-home services where a caregiver visits your loved one in their own home to care for them as appropriate.
This can include everything from doing light household chores, cooking and preparing meals, helping with medication, assisting with personal care and grooming, or simply providing companionship and meaningful connection to keep loneliness at bay.
Alternatively, respite care can be provided in a day care setting where outings and social activities are available.
Can I hire a caregiver for just a few hours a week?
In short, yes! You can hire a professional caregiver for as long as you need, whether that’s just for a few hours every week or for days at a time.
One of the biggest benefits of this kind of service is that it can easily be tailored to suit your specific circumstances, so you can scale it up or down as you need to, ensuring that you have the flexibility and the freedom to prioritise your own mental and emotional health and wellbeing.
Emergency respite care services are also available if the person you care for is suddenly taken ill or has an accident of some kind. This means they’ll be properly supported while you make more permanent arrangements for care.
How do I arrange respite care?
If you need to take a break from caring, for whatever reason, you can have a carer’s assessment carried out if you need funding from your local authority to help you pay for the service. Your loved one, meanwhile, can have a needs assessment carried out.
Respite care can cost between £700 and £800 a week, but this can rise to up to £1,500 a week for services such as emergency respite care, a stay in a care home or live-in care.
As such, having an idea of how you’ll fund the service is advisable before you actually need it, which is where care needs assessments come into their own. And, of course, you can self-fund if this is a possibility
Get in touch
If you’d like to find out more about respite care and the benefits for both you and your loved one, get in touch with the Concept Care team today.
