The primary goal of most home health care agencies is to provide options in health care for their patients/clients in an effort to assist them with hanging on to their dignity, independence and even their lifestyle while remaining in the comfort of their own homes. Many times home health care services are opted for as a less expensive yet more reliable option as opposed to retirement homes, long term care facilities and hospitals. Having home health care services will allow people with a wide variety of health related conditions to stay in their own homes while being comfortable and having a better quality of life than what is experienced in facilities while they still have a care plan that is tailored specifically to them and are cared for by professionals. Home health care services can be had on a part time basis or full time.

Respite Care

Respite care is designed not just for the patient but also for the family members who care for them. Caring for an individual on a full time basis can make anyone suffer from stress and can even lead to sickness in the caregiver. Respite services have been designed to give the caregiver the time that they need to disconnect. Time to rest, run errands, connect with loved ones or do whatever they need to do in order to regain their peace of mind while ensuring that the patient’s needs are still being seen to. In other words, respite services are designed to give the caregiver a break. These services might be for a period of time as short as 2 hours all the way up to a day or more depending on what your needs might be.

Some of the services that can be provided through respite care include things like:

• Companion or homemaking services. This can encompass everything from housekeeping and laundry to preparing meals. It can also cover things like managing socialization for the patient, running errands, giving medication and providing transportation for the patient to various medical appointments.
• Home health aide services. These can include things like providing assistance with recommended exercise, dressing the patient, grooming the patient and even bathing the patient.

What Respite Care can do for the Caregiver

• Respite care services are absolutely necessary when it comes to the physical and mental health of the caregiver. Inevitably the caregiver is under a tremendous amount of stress and that stress can be debilitating and even life threatening if not relieved.
• Often, the person giving the care to their family member will sacrifice things like social activities, hobbies, vacations and more so that they can take care of that person they love. Respite care can give the caregiver the time they need to do these things without having to worry about the patient in the process.
• Statistics show that 10 percent of caregivers have reported that the constant care that they give to the patients has actually caused a deterioration in their own health. Respite care services can give the caregiver the time that they need to reboot and take care of themselves.

Home health care isn’t just for people who need care. It can give caregivers a needed break and add to their quality of life as well.