Respite Care
What Is Respite Care?
There are many different types of care available for seniors depending on their unique needs. Respite care is one that many people don’t know is an option, but can help families manage the challenges of caretaking.
Respite care is a type of support designed to offer temporary assistance to caretakers who need help caring for their loved ones. Caretaking is hard work and everyone needs a break to recharge their batteries from time to time.
Respite care can help you ensure that your loved one continues to receive the support they need while you run errands or take some time for yourself. You can use respite care for just a few hours, or for a few days at a time depending on your circumstances and what the situation calls for.
What to Expect with Respite Care
Respite care is designed to replace the support a caretaker has been providing to a senior for a short amount of time. Ideally, the respite caregiver will learn the senior’s routine, habits, and special needs to allow for a smooth transition between caretaker to caretaker and back again.
Respite care in the home may only last a few hours while the primary caretaker leaves to go grocery shopping, get a haircut, or go out with family and friends. Respite care in a senior living facility is typically longer, and the senior is able to enjoy all the amenities offered by the facility during their stay.
Who Needs Respite Care?
Respite care is available for seniors, disabled individuals, and others with medical and psychological conditions that prevent them from partially or wholly taking care of themselves. People who can benefit from respite care include but are not limited to:
Respite care is available for seniors, disabled individuals, and others with medical and psychological conditions that prevent them from partially or wholly taking care of themselves. People who can benefit from respite care include but are not limited to:
Alzheimer’s patients
Dementia patients
Cancer patients
Cancer caregivers
Elderly individuals
Senior caretakers
Respite care is available for seniors, disabled individuals, and others with medical and psychological conditions that prevent them from partially or wholly taking care of themselves. People who can benefit from respite care include but are not limited to:
Respite care is an excellent option for caregivers who want to proactively prevent burnout and fatigue as well as for those who are already overwhelmed and need a break as soon as possible to reorient themselves.
Benefits of Respite Care
There are many benefits to respite care for both caregivers and seniors, including:
- Physical, mental, and emotional relief for caretakers
- Flexible care can be in a home setting or a senior living community
- Reduced stress and anxiety for both caretakers and seniors
- New engagement and relationship building opportunities for seniors
- Extra support without entirely relinquishing your ability to care for your loved one
- Less disruption in the senior’s routine when a break is needed
- Can help ease the transition between care at home and assisted living if a caretaker can no longer provide support
What to Expect with Respite Care
Respite care is designed to replace the support a caretaker has been providing to a senior for a short amount of time. Ideally, the respite caregiver will learn the senior’s routine, habits, and special needs to allow for a smooth transition between caretaker to caretaker and back again.
Respite care in the home may only last a few hours while the primary caretaker leaves to go grocery shopping, get a haircut, or go out with family and friends. Respite care in a senior living facility is typically longer, and the senior is able to enjoy all the amenities offered by the facility during their stay.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Does Respite Care Cost?
While on-campus senior living is typically paid on an annual or monthly basis, respite care is usually done hourly, or in some cases by day. Costs can range anywhere from $15 to $40 per hour depending on the caretaker’s expertise, and anywhere from $120 to $200 per day for an in-facility stay.
If your loved one requires a lot of care, skilled nursing respite will be necessary and tends to cost more. Costs may also vary if the respite caretaker is able and willing to do other things to help out, such as light chores around the home, meal preparation, laundry, and other indirect but related services.
Will Medicare Cover Respite Care Expenses?
Fortunately, Medicare does offer some limited coverage for respite care for seniors. Original Medicare offers seniors up to five (5) consecutive days of respite care, and will also usually approve other requests that aren’t too frequent.
With Medicare Advantage, respite care was added as a benefit and depending on the individual plan, will either credit a number of hours or a dollar amount to be used annually towards respite care.
Contact Us
If you are a patient who has a caretaker in need of respite, or a caretaker who needs assistance with your patient, contact New Life Home Plus, LLC today. We offer a wide variety of care and support services for seniors and can help you determine the right option for your family’s needs. Call now at (316) 847-2306.