Respite Care

Being a caregiver can be difficult, and becoming one isn’t always a matter of choice. Many people find themselves suddenly in this role when a loved-one is falls ill or is injured. The more fortunate caregivers may be required only to handle household chores. But for others, care giving becomes a full-time job or even more—often it’s an around-the-clock responsibility.

To help these burdened people, the respite care services industry has grown to provide an array of services and programs. Some services are delivered in the home, while others are designed as outside-the-home solutions. All these services offer gratifying value because they afford caregivers, to one extent or another, an opportunity to get away from their responsibilities. The relief is especially important considering that many caregivers are seniors themselves.

In-home respite services often involve volunteers or additional caregivers who offload work from the primary caregiver. Other types of in-home respite care include counseling, psychotherapy and online support groups. Some caregivers like in-home services because they can get relief while still being near their loved ones—this is often true for senior couples who may become anxious about being apart from their spouses for a period of time.

Out-of-home respite services usually mean a longer reprieve for caregivers. At the “low” end are adult day-care programs in which patients are transported for a period of hours to nearby facilities for care, leaving the caregiver to enjoy some rest. In broader services, patients reside in residential care centers for several days. There also are out-of-home counseling services for caregivers.

The cost of respite care generally is much less than the expense of room-and-board at an assisted living center. The range is a couple hundred dollars to $1,000 or more, depending on the care being provided.