But when was the last time you made time for yourself? You’ve likely spent time thinking about it, and you may have even talked to your spouse and children about where you could vacation this summer. The problem is, how can you leave your senior loved one? The solution: Respite care.

What Is Respite Care?

Respite care is temporary substitute care to give caregivers a break, and a chance to do what they want or need to do. It can be provided at assisted living and skilled nursing communities, or in your own home. The break can be a few hours or a few weeks. It depends on how long you will be gone, the needs of your loved one, and how he or she may react to a temporary change.

Assisted living communities offer safe, comfortable, and professional care that can include assistance with daily activities like bathing, dressing, eating, medication management, and transportation to medical appointments, as well as activities for its residents. Your loved one will stay in an apartment with trained staff available. Secure memory care neighborhoods in assisted living communities can also provide additional safety measures for those seniors who may be in the early stages of dementia.

When planning for your loved one’s care, it is wise to visit some assisted living or skilled nursing communities to get a feel for the environment. Watch some activities and meet the staff that would be caring for your senior. And, if the senior is open to it, take them along so they will be more comfortable with the situation.

In-home care services can provide many of the same services as what is available through respite care at a senior living facility, and this enables your senior to remain in the familiar surroundings of their home. Services can also include housekeeping, laundry help, grocery shopping, and running other errands.

Professional respite care services, whether at an assisted living, skilled nursing community, or in the home, can provide a customized care plan for your senior loved one. It’s not all up to you!

Preparing for Respite Care

Explain to your senior what respite care is and why you are utilizing it. Make it clear you are not tired of them, but just need some time to refresh yourself so that you will be energized upon your return and ready to be the best caregiver possible.

Make sure the respite care program you select is licensed in your state. Obtain a list of all the services that will be provided, and note any special training the caregivers may have. Also, ask how far in advance you need to schedule the respite care stay.

Prepare a checklist for the respite care staff that includes a list of medications, medical conditions, allergies, and therapies needed, as well as contact information for yourself and your loved one’s physician. Also, inform staff of the senior’s preferences, likes and dislikes, and personal history. (Assisted living or skilled nursing communities and professional in-home services organizations should ask you for this information before care begins.)

A Much-Needed Break or Vacation as a Family Caregiver

The benefits of reconnecting with your spouse, children and yourself on a relaxing and energizing caregiver vacation are vital to your physical and emotional health and will improve the care you can provide to your senior loved one when you return.

Below are some of the signs of “caregiver burnout.” Before you experience any of these symptoms, it’s time to take a break:

• Trouble sleeping
• Poor eating habits
• Headaches and stomach aches
• Loss of interest in things you used to enjoy
• Constant fatigue
• Short temper
• Frequent illness
• Easily frustrated

Many family caregivers are in the “sandwich generation”— that group of middle-aged parents who feel the stress of raising their own children while caring for their parents at the same time. It takes its toll on you even though you might not be fully aware of it. Remember, the state of your own health affects the health of your senior loved one.

In addition, you may find your senior enjoyed a change of pace, environment, and the new people they met while in respite care.

So don’t feel guilty about leaving a senior loved one for a summer caregiver vacation. It may be the best thing for everyone. And don’t obsess about what is happening back home while you are on the trip. While you are away physically, do your best to also get away mentally and emotionally to recharge and boost your mental health.

Planning a vacation this summer? Contact Bethesda’s Care Management team online or by calling 314-963-2200 to learn more about our respite care service.

The post Making Time for a Summer Vacation as a Family Caregiver first appeared on Bethesda Health Group.

These expectations can range from exciting to unreasonable. The holidays may bring us joy or drive us to distraction as we try to juggle preparations, logistics, the personal preferences of family members, topics of discussion to avoid, gifts to buy, and decorations to put up.

And perfectionists—those ultra-responsible people who put it all on their shoulders—want everything to go just as planned, and could be vulnerable to a holiday disappointment.

Family caregivers tend to lean toward perfectionism, as they are deeply committed to their senior loved one. They try to plan every detail, meet all the needs, and feel badly if they make a mistake or neglect a task they thought they should have completed sooner.

Family caregivers also tend to be the people most heavily involved in holiday preparations, and correspondingly put pressure on themselves to make everything perfect and everyone happy. They are usually members of the “sandwich generation” — middle-aged parents who are raising their own children while caring for a parent or parents at the same time.

Kristen Daniels, Director of Bethesda Senior Support Solutions, notes the primary trait she sees that makes the holidays even more stressful for family caregivers: “It is hard for them to delegate tasks to others.”

Because of these traits and the stress of the holidays, family caregivers often choose respite care during the holiday season.

Here Come the Holidays

So the holiday season roars in, and it becomes practically impossible to take care of Mom, plan and prepare for the holidays, and not succumb to the stress of trying to do the impossible. According to Daniels, some primary caregivers live a substantial distance from their parents, and maintaining long-distance care for them while meeting the holiday expectations of the caregiver’s children and spouse is especially difficult.

Respite Care

Respite care provides short-term relief for primary caregivers. It can be arranged for a few hours, several days, or weeks. Respite caregivers can be found through private duty agencies (like Bethesda Senior Support Solutions) or home health care services so the senior can remain in his or her home, or by placing them temporarily in senior living communities where they will receive their meals, share in activities with other seniors, and receive the care they need.

Unfortunately, despite its benefits, most people are unaware that respite care exists. “I advise adult children to start learning about it at their local senior living communities before they need it,” Daniels says.

Of course, you should include your seniors in as much of the holiday observances and family time as possible, depending upon their physical and cognitive abilities. Respite care gives you the opportunity and energy to focus on making the holidays special for them as well.

Respite care services charge by the hour or the number of days or weeks that services are provided. Please check with the respite care providers in advance of the dates and times that the care is required.

Why Do Family Caregivers Choose Respite Care?

Stress Relief

The added stress of the holidays can push caregivers to the breaking point. They may be hosting out-of-town family in their home, feeling the financial squeeze of the holidays, or dealing with strained family relations that pop up during the season. Respite care provides relief just when it is needed.

Holiday Get-Away Time

Perhaps you have loved ones in another community you want to visit, and Mom or Dad are not capable of traveling. Respite care gives you the option of being out town and catching up with friends and relatives without worry. Your senior loved ones are receiving all the services and companionship they need in your absence.

Senior Socialization Benefits

If your senior loved one is receiving respite care in a senior living community, they may enjoy meeting other people and participating in games and other activities offered at the community.

Also, some respite care services send an aide to the senior’s home to provide companionship as well as non-medical care.

Respite Care Will Make You a Better Caregiver

The symptoms of caregiver burnout include:

• Withdrawal from family and friends
• Loss of interest in activities you once enjoyed
• Irritability
• Weight changes
• Changes in appetite
• Emotional and physical exhaustion

“Many times, primary caregivers don’t realize they are in burnout mode,” Daniels says. “So when our staff meets with them, they are not always willing to accept our consult, because they still believe they can continue to do everything.”

Daniels says the Bethesda staff supplies tools and strategies to the caregivers to help them recognize the strain they have been under— and some of them are very basic. “We find that when the caregiver accepts respite care services, they sleep well and relax knowing that their senior loved one is being cared for. Then they understand they needed respite care for themselves, so that they could revive and heal.”

If you are suffering these symptoms, the care you are providing for your senior adult is probably suffering as well. When family caregivers choose respite care, the improvement in their mind and body will translate into increased energy and a positive outlook that will benefit everyone.

Happy holidays!

Respite Care services are available in your home, your loved ones home or in Bethesda communities throughout the St. Louis area. Contact us today to schedule respite care for your senior loved one during this busy holiday season.

The post A Holiday Helping Hand: Why Family Caregivers Choose Respite Care first appeared on Bethesda Health Group.

Fortunately, respite care, a service provided either in a senior living community or in a senior’s home, employs professionals who temporarily relieve caregivers of their duties and allow them to relax or tend to other responsibilities.

How does temporary senior care work?

Respite Care in a Senior Living Community

Cathy Barton, Provider Relations Manager at Bethesda Health Group, explains that respite care at the skilled nursing home communities of Bethesda Dilworth and Bethesda Southgate, provides a wide array of services in a secure environment.

Seniors have a choice of private or semi-private accommodations, as well as many amenities and activities including in-house games, movies, and music. Dining facilities, assistance with personal care, access to therapists, and 24-hour nursing supervision also are included. The respite care seniors join the current community residents on outings to local attractions, shops, restaurants, and events. They can receive transportation for doctor’s appointments or errands, if needed. “We have a lot of options and resources we can provide,” says Cathy.

Each respite care resident is assessed for their physical and medical requirements, and a thorough history of their life and personal preferences is created to make their stay as pleasant as possible. Some respite care residents come directly from a hospital stay to spend some time recuperating in this professionally supervised environment.

Cathy says that to ease anxiety, it is important to explain the purpose of the respite service to the senior and emphasize that it is a temporary arrangement. She suggests that taking the senior to the community for lunch, to meet some of the residents and staff, may help the adjustment before a first-time respite stay.

In addition, bringing some items from home for the stay—a favorite quilt, chair, some photographs—helps the place feel more like home. “We really want them to feel that as long as they are with us, this is their home,” says Cathy.

A one-time respite care visit can be scheduled, or you can schedule regular visits on an ongoing basis. Try to schedule the respite service two weeks in advance, though Cathy notes that, depending on circumstances and room availability, shorter notice may be accommodated.

Temporary Senior Care at Home

Many seniors are reluctant to leave their homes. Fortunately, respite care can also come to them. According to Michelle Glass, Bethesda Corporate Vice President, Senior Living and In-Home Services, Bethesda’s respite care is offered through its Senior Support Solutions program.

“Many people use in-home respite care when an adult child or senior spouse has been caring for a parent, or if the senior is just home from the hospital and the family wants them to have some extra supervision for a while,” she says.

Bethesda’s Care Management Team coordinates the service, providing transportation, personal care tasks, assistance with daily activities, and medical supervision. A care manager provides an assessment that includes available financial assistance, home safety evaluation, medical needs, and resources that the senior can access.

According to Michelle, if care is required 24-hours-per-day for an extended period of time, the care provided in a community is less expensive.

A minimum advanced notice of 72 hours is best for in-home care, depending on the length of the respite service and the assistance needed. Continuing respite visits can be scheduled for the future.

It’s Okay, You Deserve a Break

Introducing respite care into a senior’s home or bringing them to a senior community for a respite stay may stir up fear and anxiety. Both Cathy and Michelle note that the historic stigma of a nursing home remains, even though nursing homes today are far superior in amenities, physical and social environment, and the quality of care provided. “The senior may be thinking if I’m taken to a nursing home, I’m going to be left there for good,” says Michelle.

Likewise, the adult child may feel guilty about taking a break even though they badly need one. “With our respite care services, what we do is give the family caregiver the permission to say ‘it’s okay for me to do something for me,’” Michelle says.

Interested in scheduling Respite Care for your senior loved one? Contact us online by e-mail at caremanagement@bethesdahealth.org or by calling our Care Management team at (314) 800-1911.

The post Temporary Senior Care (or Respite Care) for Labor Day first appeared on Bethesda Health Group.

Would you believe millions of people have accepted the same job?

Would you believe they sometimes pay a high physical and emotional price for their service?

The job is that of a caregiver for a senior loved one, and it could be time to ask for a break.

Signs of Caregiver Burnout

Perhaps you should do a self-evaluation. Below are some of the signs of caregiver-burnout:

• Trouble sleeping
• Poor eating habits
• Headaches and stomach aches
• Loss of interest in things you used to enjoy
• Constant fatigue
• Short temper
• Frequent illness
• Easily frustrated

In addition, you may be experiencing financial stress and personal guilt as you feel that you are neglecting your spouse and children. Many family caregivers are in the “sandwich generation,” that group of middle-aged parents who are raising their own children and caring for their parents at the same time.

It should be no surprise that between 40-70% of family caregivers report having symptoms of depression. Of those, 25-50% meet the diagnostic criteria for major depression.

That’s the bad news. Here’s the good news.

Respite Care Resources

There are many options for obtaining a well-needed and well-earned break (called respite care) from your role as primary caregiver to your senior loved one.

You can ask a family member to give you a break for a few hours, or even a few days. Perhaps they could take the parents to a doctor appointment or just out for a drive while you unwind. If that is not an option, there are other resources.

Taking your loved one temporarily to a nursing home, assisted living community, or an adult day care program could be a possibility.

There are also respite caregivers who come to the home. This will enable the senior to remain in a familiar environment. The care can be for a few hours, all day, a few days, or scheduled on a regular basis.

Most in-home caregiver services provide some medical supervision, meal preparation and other services, including transportation needs, as well as personal services for those daily activities your seniors may find challenging.

Respite care is available so that primary family caregivers like you can relax and get away, or complete those long-delayed tasks that have been hanging over your head. If you don’t remember what you used to do for fun, ask yourself what you have missed the most while being a caregiver.

Give Up the Guilt: Choose Respite Care

If you feel bad about turning your parents over to the care of someone else, even temporarily, it may help to know that they can benefit as well as you.

Not only will re-charging allow you to be better physically and emotionally, but you will also likely be a better caregiver when you return. A refreshed caregiver has the renewed energy and attitude that creates a positive environment.

When you take advantage of respite care, everyone will benefit from the “renewed you.”

Bethesda offers Respite Care services across the St. Louis area that can accommodate flexible schedules. Contact us to learn more about how this service can benefit you and your senior loved one.

The post When Is It Time to Choose Respite Care? first appeared on Bethesda Health Group.

Your loved one may find it frightening to be separated from you even for a few days, but preparing them for the change beforehand can reduce their anxiety surrounding the change and reassure them that everything will be okay.

Explain What Respite Care Is & Why They Are Going

It is essential that you tell your loved one as much about the situation as possible beforehand so they understand that it is temporary. By communicating with your loved one, both of you can feel better about the situation.

For example, you can explain you need a break from time to time so you can continue to take good care of them— not because you are “getting tired” of them. Reassure your loved one that you will continue to take care of them and that the situation is temporary. Also, make sure they realize the benefits of respite care for them– participating in daily activities and the opportunity to make new friends.

Determine Your Loved One’s Needs

Before your loved one goes into respite care, determine what your loved one needs in terms of care. Respite care communities will often provide you with a checklist of things you should provide for your loved one to assure that they receive the care they need:

• Medications
• List of medical conditions, including allergies
• Any therapies they need

Introduce Your Loved One to the New Environment Beforehand

If possible, visit the community where your loved one will be staying during respite care so they can get used to the environment. For seniors with Alzheimer’s or dementia, getting them used to the change and their temporary home will help ease anxiety and show them that it is a place they can not only trust but enjoy. For example, at Bethesda’s three Skilled Nursing Facilities that offer respite care, your senior loved one is provided with not only a temporary place to live but a comfortable social environment along with the rest of the residents. Along with eating their meals with the rest of our residents, your loved one will be invited to participate in the same activities and take advantage of the same senior care programs.

Introducing your loved one to the staff is also a good way to help them form bonds with caretakers beforehand. Talk to caretakers about your loved one’s:

• Personality
• Likes and dislikes
• Family and employment history

In doing so, the caretaker will be able to effectively communicate with your loved one and understand who they are as a person. Both your loved one and you will feel much better knowing someone will be there to care for them like you do. To learn more about Respite Care Services at Bethesda’s Skilled Nursing Facilities, contact us today.

The post Preparing Your Loved One for Respite Care first appeared on Bethesda Health Group.

Respite care helps caregivers of seniors by offering short-term relief, either in a planned or emergency situation. It’s important for caregivers to seek occasional respite, whether it’s for a few hours a week to run errands or to take a much-needed vacation without worrying about their loved one’s well-being. Respite care helps reduce stress and restores energy for caregivers.

It is important for all caregivers – senior spouses, adult children, or even professional caregivers – to take occasional breaks with the help of respite care. According to the Bethesda Care Management team, many times, when one senior is in the situation of taking care of their dependent spouse, it’s the caregiver who passes away before the recipient. The caregiver is so busy taking care of their spouse, they don’t have time to go to the doctor, and they don’t have time to decompress from the stress they face.

4 Situations When Respite Care Helps Caregivers

• Taking time for a family vacation or to attend a special event
• Getting some much-needed rest from day-to-day responsibilities
• Allowing the caregiver to have a medical procedure or to recover from an illness
• Regular adult day care assistance to allow the caregiver to work, run errands or socialize

Respite Care for Caregivers to Attend a Special Event

When a family member is responsible for taking care of a loved one, it seems like there is simply no room to fit other important events into your life. But life doesn’t stop happening. If you are invited to an important event like an out-of-town wedding, it can feel like you have no choice but to either disappoint the person who invited you or feel as if you are neglecting the senior who is counting on you for care. It’s a no-win situation.

Respite care helps caregivers take care of a loved one at home, and it can also be coordinated through professionals in other areas across the country, making it possible not only for the caregiver to go to a special event – but also for their dependent family member to come along, too.

The Care Management team recently helped a family with a situation involving an out-of-state wedding and Grandma. The mother of the bride is the primary caregiver, and she didn’t want to leave her mother at home. On the other hand, the mother didn’t want to be so distracted at the wedding that she couldn’t participate and enjoy herself.

Respite care professionals worked hard to find a solution that not only solved the mother’s concerns but allowed Grandma to enjoy the wedding, too. Arrangements were made locally to find a senior care community near the site of the wedding where Grandma could stay for a respite visit. During the festivities, an aide looked after Grandma’s needs so the family could fully participate without concern.

Taking a Break With the Help of Respite Care

Regardless how dedicated a person is to taking care of their senior loved one, at some point they need a chance to unwind or to just get some rest.

When you have a couple that’s been married for 60 years and one needs care, it isn’t going to take long until the other person is completely exhausted.

Respite care helps caregivers rest, so she or he can keep up her or his endurance and reduce stress to provide the necessary care. Remember, taking a break – even a four-hour break to rest or run errands – shouldn’t be considered a failure. Instead, it should be viewed as helping provide the endurance and ability to make sure their loved one is looked over for the long run.

Respite Care Helps Caregivers to Stay Healthy

Senior respite care is an ideal option for those instances when the caregiver’s health fails and there are no family members or friends available to accept the responsibility of caring for their senior loved one.

There are many options for respite care services that can be of assistance in this situation, ranging from an in-home senior caregiver who can assist your loved one with daily tasks in your absence, help them with their medication, provide transportation and make sure they eat properly. Or if your loved one requires a higher level of care, they can be checked into a senior community on a temporary basis so they’ll get around the clock care while you recover.

Ongoing Respite Care Through Adult Day Care

“I want what’s best for my mom, but I have a full-time job and my boss doesn’t understand why I can’t be here when I’m needed.”

“I want to be there for dad, but I don’t have time to shop for groceries or to get my hair cut.These are real-life issues that primary senior caregivers have to contend with on a regular basis when their time is taken up trying to take care of their loved one’s needs.”

Adult day care is an option for families that need regular, on-going help in caring for their senior loved one so they can continue with their everyday lives. Adult day care not only provides companionship and assistance for seniors who are unable to be left by themselves because of their health or condition, but it can also be a very enriching experience, providing your senior loved one with the chance to socialize with people of a similar age and with similar interests, to receive healthy and enjoyable meals, participate in activities, and receive therapy or other health-related services.

If you’re a caregiver for a senior who is having trouble finding time for all your responsibilities – or if you just need a break – Bethesda is here to help! With our respite care options across the St. Louis area, there are convenient care options for any family. Contact us to learn more.

The post Respite Care Helps Caregivers of Seniors first appeared on Bethesda Health Group.

• Give their primary caregiver a break
• Socialize with others their age
• Get medical management help

Give Primary Caregiver a Break

One reason many choose St. Louis adult day care is to help relieve the stress a senior’s primary caregiver may encounter. Like everyone else, caregivers need breaks for personal time, and taking care of their home and other family members.

Stress can adversely affect both body and mind:

• Sleep problems
• Anxiety
• Over or under eating

By finding an adult day care to provide respite care, caregivers can have some personal time to recoup and take care of themselves. By finding an adult day care that they can trust, caregivers can be free of worry and know that the needs of their loved ones are being properly addressed.

Socialize and Participate With Others

Adult day care allows seniors to socialize with others their age and participate in activities like outings and gardening. This helps them maintain their independence and interests in a safe environment.

By participating and socializing with others, seniors will feel less isolated and more useful. These positive feelings can help overall health and mental well-being. Studies have shown that seniors who regularly participate in social activities are less likely to develop dementia.

Get Help With Medical Management

Seniors who are in need of help with medical care, such as medication management or physical therapy, can benefit from a St. Louis adult day care program. On-site nurses help seniors with their medication and monitor their overall health.

Adult day may also provide regular exercise routines to help maintain strength and mobility. Exercising helps relieve stress and improve mood.

For assistance caring for your senior loved one, contact Bethesda.

The post 3 Reasons Why Seniors Participate in Adult Day Care first appeared on Bethesda Health Group.