The Benefits of Respite Care for Participants & Their Loved Ones

Respite Care is an essential service that provides a ‘home away from home’ to participants, as well as temporary relief to family and carers who are supporting a loved one with a disability. The benefits for both the participant and their support network have been proven to be extremely high, time and time again.

Respite Care can be provided for varying lengths of time, from 2 hours, to overnight, to a week, to even more! The length of respite depends on numerous factors including NDIS funding, participant and family needs, and availability of respite homes, resources and support workers.

If you or your loved one are looking to try Respite Care for the first time, or find a new location or support provider to facilitate the care, it may feel overwhelming to know where to start. Enriched Care Solutions offers a variety of Respite Care options. We even have our own, beautiful Respite Homes available to participants with NDIS funding! Here are some questions our participants and their support coordinators often ask when it comes to Respite Care;

• Will the Respite Home meet my physical, emotional and social needs? For example, what if I use a wheelchair, or require use of my CPAP machine overnight?

• Who will be supporting me or my loved one during my respite stay?

• What kind of activities and community access is available to me during a respite stay?

• How much does respite care cost?

If these sound like some of the questions you may be asking, why not give us a call today - (03) 6335 2333 and one of our care team members can absolutely answer all your questions!

Amongst all the questions you may be asking, the big one is probably this: What are the benefits of respite care for myself or a loved one? And we get it, for all the effort it may seem to organise respite care, of course you’d want to know the benefits! Here’s just a few;

1)    Boost Socialisation!

Respite Care for participants is an amazing opportunity for them to pursue socialisation in a safe, relaxed environment. Some respite homes are shared with multiple participants, giving socialisation opportunities without even leaving the house! Respite Care also absolutely involves getting OUT of the house. Whether it’s a walk by the water, trip to the pub, outing to a concert or a fancy meal out, the respite care disability support worker will ensure that the participant does social respite activities suited to them that they ACTUALLY want to do and ACTUALLY will enjoy!

2)   Prevent Carer Burnout

Caring for a loved one with a disability can be challenging and demanding, both physically and emotionally. Carers often work tirelessly to ensure that their loved one is well-cared for, which can lead to burnout. Burnout is a state of physical, emotional, and mental exhaustion that can occur when carers are constantly under stress. Disability support respite care can provide carers with the opportunity to take a break and recharge, helping them to avoid burnout.

Carers who are caring for a loved one with a disability are also often at risk of developing health issues themselves. The physical and emotional demands of caring can take a toll on carers, leading to a range of health problems, including stress, depression, anxiety, and other mental health issues. Disability support respite care can provide carers with the opportunity to attend to their own health needs, such as doctor's appointments or therapy sessions.

3)   Find Security in Emergency Situations

Life happens, and emergency situations can arise unexpectedly, requiring the immediate attention of carers. In such cases, respite care can provide temporary relief, enabling carers to attend to the emergency without having to worry about their loved one's care. The peace of mind knowing that your loved one is safe, secure and happy in a beautiful respite home is second to none. And to be proactive, why not talk about respite care with your loved one, prior to an emergency cropping up? They can even try respite out a few times so that if an emergency arrives, they know where they’ll be cared for and can share your peace of mind that they’ll be safe.

Respite Care is an essential service that provides temporary respite to both participants AND carers. The service is designed to give participants and carers a break everyday life, enabling them to recharge and rest. Respite Care can benefit carers and participants in a range of ways, from preventing burnout to opening opportunities for socialisation and providing security in emergency situations.

Make sure you contact Enriched Care Solutions today about our Respite Care openings and waitlists!