The Power Of Short Term Respite: Why Breaks Matter For Caregivers
Caregiving can be a rewarding experience for many people. It’s an opportunity to give back to the people we care for, and we can see beneficial change happening in real time.
However, burnout is a real risk–even for the most dedicated, enthusiastic caregiver. Juggling personal care assistance, helping with activities of daily living (ADLs), and managing your own daily activities can add up quickly. On top of everything, many caregivers don’t ask for help (or refuse when offered).
You may not realize that burnout is happening until it’s too late. Trualta can help. Check if you have free access to our educational tools and caregiver support resources. We can help you:
- Learn how to recognize caregiver burnout
- Take action to address burnout
- Learn how to ask for, accept, and find help
- Access support resources for yourself and your care recipient
What Is Caregiver Burnout?
Many caregivers feel stressed by the demands of caring for another person. If left unmanaged, this stress can turn into caregiver burnout.
Caregiver burnout is a state of mental, physical, and emotional exhaustion. You aren’t meeting your needs, are juggling too many care tasks at once, and aren’t taking the breaks you need.
Every person’s burnout looks different. It might look like:
- Feeling emotionally fragile, sadness, or despair
- Feeling frustrated, angry, or like you want to lash out
- Neglecting self-care
- Trouble sleeping
- Difficulty concentrating
- Losing or gaining lots of weight in a short period
- Not engaging in activities you need to do or used to enjoy
- Not doing well at work, poor productivity, or frequent absences
Short Term Respite To The Rescue
If you’ve noticed any of these signs, hope is not lost! You can take steps to manage caregiver burnout and get the support you need. One of the best ways to support yourself is by giving yourself breaks and accepting help.
Respite care is when another person provides short term care to your loved one. It can temporarily relieve you of your duties to take a break from caregiving, relax, or get tasks done. It may last a few hours up to a few weeks. Respite falls into 3 main categories:
- In-home services
- Adult day care services
- Overnight or emergency respite care
There are a lot of options for short term respite care. The choices available to you can depend on factors like:
- Cost. Some respite options can be provided by volunteers, friends, or family. Others may be a paid care service provided by professional caregivers. In certain cases, private insurance, Medicare, or Medicaid may provide some financial support to cover respite.
- Location accessibility. Certain options may be closer to home than others. Adult day centers might offer transportation to and from the facility. Some assisted living, or long term care facilities offer short term stay options for respite services. In-home respite options, like home care or companion services, can also be convenient.
- Your care recipient’s needs. Some respite care options are tailored to the needs of children, adults, or seniors. Depending on the respite care provider, they may be trained to provide personalized care for conditions like dementia.
- Your needs as a caregiver. You might need a few hours off regularly or a few weeks off from time to time.
5 Reasons Why Breaks Matter For Caregivers
1. Gives You Time For Your Needs
Getting respite care is an essential step for preventing or recovering from burnout. Whether you ask for help from a sibling or an adult day care center, respite gives you a break from caregiving responsibilities. Breaks can be especially important when balancing caregiving with work or childcare.
Breaks can be whatever you need them to be to reduce stress. For example:
- Going for a walk
- Taking a nap
- Self-care, like getting a haircut
- Running errands or going to a medical appointment
- Going out for coffee with a friend
- Engaging in a hobby
- Going out of town for a short vacation
2. Supports Your Health
Research shows that caregivers who use more respite care services are less likely to experience declines in functional health. When using respite services over time, caregivers may show positive health effects like:
- Reduced feelings of overload, strain, anger, and depression
- Less emotional reactivity
- Improved well-being
3. Improves Care Quality
Many caregivers experience mental barriers to accepting help. They may feel:
- Guilty for wanting time apart
- That they should be able to do everything themselves
- Worry about burdening others
- Like they’re letting their care recipient down
While you may feel like a bad caregiver for using respite care, the opposite is true. Taking a break can actually help you become a better caregiver! Giving yourself time to rest and care for your needs can help improve your patience and empathy. This means that respite care services may positively impact care quality.
4. Boosts Social Relationships
Many caregivers experience isolation and a decline in social relationships. Respite care gives you the time to reconnect with friends and family members. By giving you the rest you need, respite can also help improve your relationship with your care recipient.
5. Enriches Your Care Recipient’s Life
Using respite care services benefits your care recipient, too! For example:
- Interacting with new people. Whether respite services are provided in your home or at a respite care facility, your care recipient will benefit from social interactions with other people.
- Engaging in new activities and experiences. Some respite care options, like adult day care facilities, offer activities for your care recipient to take part in, such as music, puzzles, art, and exercise.
- Supporting mental & emotional health. Respite care can help your care recipient access emotional support and companionship.
- Receiving quality care. Some respite care providers are trained to meet unique and specialized care needs.
Your care recipient may need some time to adjust, especially if they have a condition like dementia. But over time, they may look forward to respite care. As a caregiver, you’ll benefit from knowing that your care recipient is receiving reliable, quality care from a qualified respite care provider. Knowing they’re safe can help you relax and get the full benefits from your short break from caregiving.
Don’t forget to check if you have free access to Trualta to learn more about ways to make your caregiving journey easier.
References
- https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/caregiving/what-respite-care
- https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5550302/
- https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9052870/
- https://en-age.ca/staying-connected-as-roles-and-relationships-change/when-caregiving-becomes-an-identity/
- https://www.familycaregiversbc.ca/caregiver-learning-center/read-resources/when-asking-for-help-is-hard
- https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/about/community-health/johns-hopkins-bayview/services/called-to-care/causes-symptoms-caregiver-burnout
- https://bluemoonseniorcounseling.com/coping-with-caregiver-stress-and-burnout/
- https://www.aplaceformom.com/caregiver-resources/articles/respite-care
- https://www.alz.org/help-support/caregiving/care-options/respite-care
- https://www.alz.org/help-support/caregiving/care-options/adult-day-centers
- https://alzheimer.ca/ns/en/whats-happening/news/managing-caregiver-guilt#:~:text=Caregiving%20can%20be%20very%20stressful,room%20for%20a%20few%20minutes.&text=Taking%20time%20to%20yourself%20may%20cause%20you%20to%20feel%20some%20guilt
- https://www.considracare.com/why-respite-care-is-beneficial-for-family-caregivers/
- https://bartonhousetn.com/how-respite-care-improves-quality-of-life-for-seniors/#:~:text=Alleviating%20Caregiver%20Stress%20and%20Fatigue,with%20renewed%20energy%20and%20focus
