Being a family caregiver means balancing a variety of different demands, including physical and emotional demands. Resilience, or dealing well with adversity, is an important skill for family caregivers to develop and it’s easier with some help. Respite care means that family caregivers can take breaks that allow them to restore energy, reduce stress, and rebuild their resilience. Regular breaks improve life for seniors and family caregivers in a variety of ways.
Recharging Energy
So often caregiving demands that family caregivers are available around the clock, especially as health changes and other challenges arise. When family caregivers don’t have enough time for self-care or sleep, they can quickly find themselves exhausted. Home care providers can take over, allowing family caregivers to get the rest they need.
Preventing Burnout
Caregiver burnout occurs when family caregivers are overwhelmed by excessive caregiving demands and no rest. The problem is that burnout is incredibly difficult to recover from without time away. Respite care ensures that aging adults have the help they need and that family caregivers are able to take time to recover. Respite also allows family caregivers to build a support network that can help them as caregiving becomes even more complicated over time.
Improving Mental Well-being
Too much stress takes a toll on mental health, especially for family caregivers. Short breaks more often allow seniors to engage in activities that allow seniors to reduce their stress. That time away also improves mood when family caregivers return. They’re better able to cope with the challenges of caregiving. When family caregivers experience better moods and better mental health, they have better frame of mind in every area of life.
Reconnecting with Interests
Hobbies and interests are important for everyone because of how much fulfillment and joy they bring. Family caregivers often have to put aside hobbies and interests because they often lack the time and energy to spend on their own interests. Taking respite time allows family caregivers to reconnect with those interests and spend time enjoying their lives again.
Strengthening Relationships
Caregiving can be incredibly lonely for family caregivers. Because of the time and energy they have to spend caring for senior family members, family caregivers can find themselves experiencing strained relationships with friends, family members, and even the seniors they’re helping. Respite time allows them space and time to rebuild relationships and engage with the people they love more fully.
Increasing Caregiver Effectiveness
Taking breaks can make family caregivers more effective at what they do. Stepping away periodically allows family caregivers to return more patient, energized, and ready to tackle new challenges. When they have time away thanks to respite care providers, they’re more refreshed and better able to tackle the problems that arise with caregiving duties. They’re also better able to face difficulties with patience.
Respite care is an essential tool for helping family caregivers build and maintain resilience in the face of everything they handle for the seniors they love. Short breaks have big benefits for family caregivers and those benefits transfer to seniors as well.
If you or an aging loved one is considering respite care in Westmont, IL, please contact the caring staff at Suburban Home Care today at (630) 964-9000.
There are several great reasons why Suburban Home Care® should be your choice for quality homecare. All of our Certified Nursing Assistants and Home Health Aides are screened, trained, bonded and insured.
Every family needs to be aware that almost every Homeowner’s insurance policy specifically excludes anyone working within your home. If the person you hire becomes injured while working for you, you will become personally responsible for all of their medical bills. This has left several families very vulnerable when their caregiver injured themselves at their home.
The potential to lose everything you have worked so hard to achieve seems an unnecessary risk. Every one of Suburban Home Care®’s employees are completely covered by insurance so you and your loved ones can relax knowing that if something unforeseen happens to your caregiver, they are completely covered by insurance.
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