Are you the caregiver of a loved one? It can be stressful and difficult at times. For parents and other aging loved ones, unpaid care is provided by in excess of 34 million people in the United States. It can take a toll on those who give care but can be rewarding, as well. If you take care of your family, hold down a job outside the home (or work from home), but still have to care for an aging loved one, it can be even harder to make everything work together.
If you’re caring for someone and realize it’s time for a break – or if you’ve unexpectedly been thrown into the role of caregiver and know this situation will not work – it’s time for a temporary move. Your loved one may have had surgery, experienced an injury, suffered a severe illness, etc., and they need more care than you can adequately give them right now.
The following information should help with choosing a respite care community for your loved one. You will both be healthier, mentally and physically, once your loved one is in competent, caring, professional hands, in a safe and secure environment.
Respite Care – What Is It?
Before we start suggesting the kinds of questions you should ask when touring a respite care community – and you should take a tour – let’s define respite care, itself.
When someone is caring for a loved one, if they need temporary relief due to an emergency or a planned break, respite care can come to the rescue. Appropriate respite care candidates are adults who have particular physical, mental, and/or developmental needs.
Questions to Ask
While you are touring a potential respite care community, ask the following questions:
- If there is a medical emergency, what’s your policy?
- What are the rules and regulations regarding visitors?
- Do you offer various types of daily activities? What are they?
- Are all community amenities accessible by respite care guests?
- What types of options do you provide where meals and snacks are concerned?
- Where respite care is concerned, is there an average time frame? What’s typical?
- Will my loved one’s insurance, Medicare, etc. cover this type of care?
- To get my loved one into respite care, how much advance scheduling is required?
- What is the ratio of residents to care team members?
- How are the care team members trained? What kind of certifications do they possess?
- What are the available accommodations (floor plans, units, apartments, rooms, etc.)?
- What are all of your provided services?
Trust Your Loved One’s Happiness, Health, and Safety to Our Respite Care Community
In our Respite Care community, we provide everything your loved one will need throughout their day and night. Our experienced, knowledgeable team of caregivers will be of assistance when and where they are needed. Your loved one is in good hands. They are safe and secure. What’s more, their independence and recovery will be encouraged every step of the way. To find out more, schedule a tour of our community today.
