A Step By Step Guide On Social Care
What to Expect From Respite Care
Welcome to the first ‘Step by Step Guide on Social Care’ written by the home care experts at Cera. Every month we will choose a subject that our clients have commented on being confusing and overwhelming, and try to make it as simple and accessible as possible. This month we are discussing what ‘respite care’ is and what you should expect from your care professional and care provider.
Know When You Need A Break
The first and perhaps the most difficult step to accessing respite care is admitting that you need a break. Being a family carer for someone is an incredibly fulfilling and compassionate responsibility to take on, however it does not mean that it should become your entire life. Like professional carers, family carers need to have breaks to live their own life, take a holiday, socialise and reclaim some of their individuality away from the role of being carer. Entrusting your responsibilities to a care provider which offers respite care can be a hard transition to make. However, a smooth transition can be facilitated by a good care provider. Below, we explore what you should expect from a respite caregiver.
What Can a Professional Respite Carer Provide?
A respite care professional should be able to fulfil a wide variety of needs, from providing companionship for a couple hours, to helping clean the house and cook meals, or providing full-time, live-in care if needed. Some professional carers will be trained in specific types of care and have specialised medication training to administer a variety of medicines. Ideally, a professional respite carer should be able to fulfil any needs you have, for the length of time that you need. A respite carer’s presence should put your mind at ease as you know that your loved one is comfortable and cared for whilst you take a well-deserved rest.
A respite carer can assist with tasks a family carer may not be comfortable with or is unable to do by themselves. For example, you can book an hour of care to help with the manual handling involved in your loved one’s care, helping them to use the toilet, or to assist them with washing and upkeep of personal hygiene.
What if My Loved One Needs Specialised Care?
If the person being cared for requires someone with specialist skills or training to care for them, it can be difficult to trust someone else to deliver this. Of course, ensuring that the care professional who is taking over is qualified in providing for those specialised needs is essential. Your care provider should be able to supply a professional carer who meets all of your loved one’s needs and has the training and experience to do so. In this way you can rest and enjoy your break whilst knowing that they have the highest quality of care provided for them. A good care provider should inform you who is going to take care for your loved one and arrange an interview if requested for you and your loved one to meet them before care commences.
How Flexible Is Respite Care Provision?
Whether you need respite care for a few hours per week or live-in care for a longer period of time, your chosen care provider should be able to offer you the flexibility to decide when care is needed. Care needs can change from week to week; if you require more respite care one week than the next, one should feel confident that your care provider would be able to supply you with the professional carer you are familiar with at the times that you choose.
If you or a family carer you know is in need of a break and wants to be assured that the professional respite carer will be of the highest quality and be personally matched to the individual who needs care, then call Cera on 020 3034 4550 or visit our website here.
