Respite Care – the Ideal Solution to Bridge a Short-term Gap

Respite Care is a temporary institution where the elderly, developmentally disabled, terminally ill, or disabled are looked after, which helps in giving relief to their usual carer for a temporary period of time. It is generally considered as a short break for caregivers who might have other family commitments, a job, or other responsibilities that keep them occupied and are unable to care for their loved ones. These services are provided to caregivers of an adult or a small child. This involves a caregiver going to a person’s house and care for the patient. Some family members often sign up for short-term respite care, which could be just for 3-4 hours. In such cases, the caregivers commit to a minimum number of hours and charge accordingly to make it worth their time. 

The regular caregiver is usually someone from the family, however, they may also be a professional home healthcare worker. The family member could be hesitant in using the services of respite care as they might be skeptical in leaving their loved ones in the care of somebody else. However, on the flip side, it is a very good solution in the short term. It can get daunting to have a job, run a household, other activities within the family, running errands, along with caregiving at the same time. This can severe implications in the long term for the caregiver. In such situations, respite care comes as a relief to the caregiver as it gives them a break from the everyday tasks and the constant care of their loved one. Respite caregivers help in giving temporary relief to the fulltime caregiver when they have to travel, or simply when they need a break. In their absence, respite caregivers help patients with medications, giving meals, housekeeping, looking after personal hygiene, among a host of other services. This proves to be a boon to the full-time caregiver and is an excellent option to bridge a short-term gap. 

It is common for people to care for their family and loved ones. Many around us provide care for their families in some way or the other. People who need care round-the-clock are usually the ones who often need constant, long-term care. However, there are a few things to be kept in mind when deciding to choose respite care for your family member. Before registering for the services of a respite care worker, the family should check that the temporary caregiver’s credentials are legit. They should also ask for references and should fix an appointment to meet them in person before signing up for a contract. This is where Access Healthcare Services comes in the picture. They have been in the healthcare business for over 20 years in the Ottawa area and offer respite care, nursing services, personal support along with other services.