Respite care is sometimes a hard topic to bring up, even though at times it’s the only solution. Your loved ones aren’t giving up on you, and you aren’t giving up on yourself. In fact, if you act on these three signs, you are doing the responsible thing. Here’s how to know when it is indeed time for respite care.
1. Decrease In Your Personal Self-Reliance
One sign it’s time to consider respite care is if you cannot rely on yourself the way you used to. You’d be surprised what age can do to you. What used to come easy could suddenly become next to impossible.
There might be certain chores you can’t do anymore, or maybe you are just finding some tasks challenging at this point in your life. Either way, you won’t have to worry about these chores because a specialist can ensure all of these tasks are done for you. It’s easy to look at this negatively, but the reality is there’s nothing wrong with seeking help.
You’d agree that a person cannot hammer a nail with his or her bare hands, right? In this situation, you would almost be trying to do that impossible task yourself. If you can no longer do things on your own, then you need a tool to help you keep going. Respite services are these tools that will enable you to keep going while your caregiver takes a break.
2. Family Members Expressing Concern
The next sign you need to consider respite care involves your family. According to TLC Caregivers, a facility specializing in respite services, in Pensacola, FL, it is sometimes “necessary for the family caregiver to have a break and help ease the symptoms of family caregiving.. exhaustion, isolation, and sometimes even burnout.”
If you know that your family caregiver is suffering from exhaustion or any of the aforementioned feelings, then it’s time to give this person a break. You can do that by simply talking to a respite care specialist. It would be a good idea to have an honest conversation with your family before a decision is made.
It may be hard for family members to admit how tired they might be of taking care of you, which is the reason you should take the initiative. If your family members did bring this up, then go ahead and listen to their concerns. Making this choice might be hard, but you’ll be taken care of by professionals who might be able to keep you even safer and healthier than your caregiver.
3. Major Illness or Injury Making Life Difficult
A major illness or injury could make respite care services necessary. Some illnesses make it dangerous for you to be on your own. Some injuries cause so much damage that you won’t be able to do much around your home. If you want to live normally, you’ll have to trust these service providers. These folks are not only trained to address whatever illness or injury you are dealing with, but they’ll give you much-needed company during these difficult times. It’s important to remember that without proper care, injuries could get worse.
As mentioned above, asking family members to take care of you for an extended amount of time without a break can lead to problems. Some illnesses are so serious that you need 24/7 support, which is the kind of support you’ll be getting from the right respite care services when you need it. Depending on the illness or the injury, the care given to you should be personalized so that you get the most out of it. You should also make sure you meet with the caregiver to see if you would work well together. It would be a shame if you end up with someone you don’t like or someone you’re having trouble communicating with.
These are some of the signs you should be looking for when deciding if it’s time to talk to a respite care specialist to give a break to your caregiver. You could also call a respite care center to see what they will offer and to ask any questions you might have. They should be patient with you and offer valuable knowledge.
