Why Short-Term Respite Care at a Quality Home Is Worth It

If you’re the primary caregiver for your aging loved one, you may feel like you need a break at times. It can be overwhelming looking after a parent or other family member around the clock. In order to provide them with the best quality of care possible, you need to first take care of yourself. That means allowing yourself a break every so often. Short-term respite care at a quality care home like Solterra Senior Living could help.

What Is Respite Care?

Short-term respite care is essentially a temporary stay at an assisted living home or community. Your loved one could have suffered a health setback recently and require a little additional assistance while on the mend. Or perhaps you’re the primary caregiver for your loved one and you simply need some personal time. A respite care stay can span several weeks, several days, or just a few short hours, depending on the home and your particular needs.

Benefits of Respite Care

One of the most valuable benefits of respite care in a quality care home or community is that your loved one will be looked after by a team of highly trained health professionals in a supportive and caring environment. As we age, we can sometimes feel isolated and alone. Allowing your loved one to stay with like-minded individuals in a quality setting for a few days could help remedy those feelings of loneliness and isolation.

Perhaps your loved one is hesitant to leave their own home and has been reluctant to move into an assisted living community. Short-term respite care is also an excellent way to see if your loved one would benefit from assisted living services. Your loved one can try it out and see whether assisted living is something that could work to their benefit. There’s no long-term commitment, and a short stay could be just the introduction your loved one needs to sway their mind toward assisted living.

Questions to Ask

Short-term respite care is only worth it if you find a quality home. Your loved one’s health and safety must be of utmost priority. To that extent, make sure you ask the right questions when meeting with a respite care provider.

Ask if the home provides a written care plan, what’s included in the cost, and for licensing information. Be sure to check with the state department that manages licensing to see whether any complaints have been received about that particular home or provider.

Meet with the provider in person and tour the home or community to get a feel for what it’s like and how well the provider communicates. You should also ask about the screening process for employees, as well as their qualifications and experience.

Keep in mind that most short-term respite care is not covered by Medicare unless your loved one is receiving hospice care. However, there may be veterans benefits or other financial assistance available.

If you’d like to learn more about short-term respite care at Solterra, simply fill out this form. We look forward to meeting you and helping you learn more about what we have to offer.