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Respite Care Working Hand in Hand with Caregivers

Respite Care Working with Caregivers

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Caregiving is a selfless duty that offers fulfillment and exhaustion all at once. While many find gratification in caring for others, they must tend to their own lives and responsibilities. Because of this, caregivers typically experience some extent of burnout. To avoid burnout, it is critical for all caregivers to remember to take care of themselves. We can have respite care working hand in hand with caregivers.

Caregiver Burnout

Caregiver burnout is the emotional, physical, and mental exhaustion from the stressors that coincide with caring for a loved one. It is typically accompanied by feeling under-supported, overwhelmed, and underappreciated.

Burnout is most likely to happen when caregivers are not taking care of themselves. This can eventually affect the caregiver’s ability to provide quality care, which can be harmful to both the caregiver and the individual receiving care. A study conducted by the Journals of Gerontology concluded that caregivers under high levels of strain and responsibility had a significantly higher mortality rate and poorer health outcomes compared to those with less or no caretaking pressures.

Fortunately, burnout can be prevented or minimized by taking precautions such as healthy eating, exercising regularly, getting adequate sleep, and utilizing respite care to ensure regular breaks are prioritized.

Respite Care Services

Respite care is an essential component of caregiving. It provides support for caregivers by offering temporary relief. This enables the caregiver to take much-needed breaks from the high demands of caring for a sick, disabled, or aging loved one.

Respite care is unique for each situation. It can take place in one’s home, nursing or residential facilities, or adult day care centers. It may only be for a few hours while the caregiver runs errands, or it can be for a few days to weeks, depending on the circumstances. The type of support varies greatly as well and may include:

  • Assistance with household chores, errands, or tasks
  • Transportation to medical appointments
  • Assistance with bathing, dressing, and hygienic needs
  • Basic medical care
  • Companionship

Types of Respite Care

Arrangements for respite care are made ahead of time by the caregiver, and these arrangements can take the form of many types. The most common types of respite care are as follows:

  • Informal care is generally provided by family members or friends. It does not involve a respite professional and is an excellent solution for occasional, short-term breaks.
  • In-home care services come to you and offer temporary relief or can be regularly scheduled. An agency or an individual caregiver can provide in-home care aids or respite services.
  • Day services are an excellent option for adults who enjoy socialization and time out of their homes. These services are provided at various locations, such as senior centers or churches, and allow for supervised socialization under medical care. These services permit caregivers to go to work or complete other daytime tasks.
  • Residential care is much like a temporary nursing home or assisted living facility. It allows for overnight stays and is a good option if a caregiver must travel or needs a longer break.

Being a caregiver is a full-time responsibility. To provide the best care for a loved one, the caregiver must ensure that they are taking care of themselves too. Respite care plays a vital role, as it recharges the caregiver so burnout can be avoided and all have the best outcome. Respite care are working hand in hand with caregivers.

If you are caring for aging parents or someone with a special needs disability, learn more about respite resources available to you. For assistance, please contact our Ruston, LA office by calling us at (318) 255-1760.

Elder Abuse: Why It Occurs and How To Prevent It

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According to the American Psychological Society, elder abuse is the infliction of physical, emotional/psychological, sexual or financial harm on an older adult. Additionally, elder abuse can manifest as intentional or unintentional neglect of an older adult by the caregiver. Elder abuse has a variety of causes. It is important that family members and caregivers of senior adults be aware of the causes of elder abuse in order to prevent abuse and keep senior loved ones safe and secure.

Elder abuse can occur for a variety of reasons and complex issues. Family stressors are one of the reasons elder abuse occurs. Family members who are charged with caring for a senior family member can often become stressed and run-down dealing with the demands of caring for their loved one. In addition, these family members often feel isolated and do not take time to recharge. These factors can lead to elder abuse. A violent family past can also continue to hold on to family members and this can lead to elder abuse. Financial burdens of a multigenerational household can also lead to financial elder abuse.

Caregiver stress can lead to elder abuse. Caregiving can create stress for the caregiver and the care recipient. This stress can lead to potentially harmful situations for the senior adult. If the caregiver is caring for a person who is sick or physically or mentally impaired, this can lead to stress that would cause a caregiver to abuse the care recipient. The caregiver can feel alone or helpless. Caregiving can lead to emotional and physical stress and exhaustion. These feelings can be overwhelming and may lead to elder abuse.

Certain societal issues can lead to elder abuse. Often senior adults are viewed as insignificant or unimportant. This has in many cases lead to the devaluing of this population, making them easy targets from abuse. This can make the senior more vulnerable to elder abuse. This is evidenced by the fact that scams and financial abuse among the elderly population continues to be a major problem.

How can elder abuse be prevented? Education is one way that elder abuse can be prevented. It is important that caregivers and family members be educated about the risk factors and signs of elder abuse in order to prevent it from occurring. It is also important that families and seniors be aware of financial scams that target the elderly in order to prevent seniors from being taken advantage of financially.

Respite care is also an effective way to prevent elder abuse. There are adult day cares and respite care agencies available to provide care for a few hours a week to take stress off of family members or caregivers. Respite care is especially important for those caring for patients who suffer from Alzheimer’s disease or dementia or are severely disabled. This gives the caregivers time to rest physically, mentally, and emotionally. Along with respite care, it is important for caregivers to maintain social contact and support. Often caregivers are thrust into difficult situations for which they are ill prepared. They often neglect social interactions. It is important not to neglect these interactions, and even to seek support from groups or people who are in a similar caregiving situation. This can help to deal with stresses in caregiving.

Counseling is another option for preventing elder abuse. Caregivers and families alike can benefit from counseling. Counseling can help families deal with past issues, as well as dealing with the emerging stress of caregiving.

Knowing the causes of elder abuse and methods of prevention can help keep elders safe. Family members and caregivers should know and be aware of these. Elder abuse is a major problem and solutions must be found to protect our seniors.

If you have any questions about something you have read or would like additional information, please contact our Ruston, LA office by calling us at (318) 255-1760 or schedule an appointment to discuss how we can help.