How Can Family Caregivers Benefit from Respite Care?

Caring for an aging loved one can be gratifying and rewarding. Still, it’s often taxing, requiring ongoing endurance. If you overextend yourself, the resulting strain can impair your health and enjoyment of life. Here’s why respite care is important for your wellbeing.

 

By Hiring a Respite Caregiver, You Can Avoid Burnout

Routine caregiving without breaks can drain your emotional and physical energy. In turn, you may feel weighed down and trudge through your tasks and responsibilities. Meanwhile, you can miss the sweet moments and unexpected delights that come your way.

Thus, it’s essential to recharge your batteries. Respite care will restore your stamina and boost your outlook. Since you determine the length and frequency of services, you can tailor them to your family’s needs.

Family caregivers sometimes need a break from their caregiving responsibilities. When they need respite care, Fremont families can rely on professional caregivers to help their senior loved ones remain safe at home.

 

Pauses in Caregiving Can Enhance Your Relationships

If you spend most of each day with your senior loved one, you may become socially isolated. But if you hire a respite caregiver, you’ll have more time to connect with friends and family. Interacting with them will help you feel supported, understood, and fulfilled.

As a side benefit, you’ll likely resume caregiving with more patience and compassion. Plus, with respite care, you can affirm your independence and achieve a balanced lifestyle.

 

A Caregiving Hiatus Creates More Time for Errands & Appointments

A jam-packed schedule leaves scant room for trips to the grocery store, the bank, the pharmacy, and the like. Thus, you rush from place to place, making you tense and edgy. Meanwhile, you need to ensure responsible care for your loved one while you’re away. This can require coordinating with friends and family members.

Additionally, you may find it challenging to squeeze in appointments. For example, it can be difficult to book time with a hairstylist, dentist, doctor, or financial advisor. You can avoid all these potential stressors by hiring a caregiver.

Professional caregivers can be a wonderful source of support for family members caring for aging loved ones. When researching agencies that provide in-home care, families are usually looking for flexible care plans, compassionate and highly trained caregivers, and 24/7 availability. Whether you need respite care to take a break from your caregiving duties or your senior loved one needs around-the-clock assistance at home, you can rely on Assisting Hands Home Care.

 

Reprieves from Work Promote Better Health

As a dedicated caregiver, you likely put your loved one’s needs before your own. Yet through such steadfast devotion, you may neglect your own health. However, self-care is essential to feeling and being your best.

Foremost is eating vitalizing food. Often, cardiologists recommend the Mediterranean diet, emphasizing plant-based fare and beneficial fats. In particular, you should include the following foods in your daily diet:

• Whole grains, such as oatmeal
• Nuts and olive oil
• Legumes, such as beans and lentils
• Fruits and vegetables
• Spices and herbs
• Low-mercury fish, such as salmon

Additionally, aim for 20 minutes of robust activity three times a week or more. Exercise diffuses tension while fostering an upbeat mindset. Fun types of exercise include dancing, bike riding, gardening, and hiking. If your body isn’t accustomed to exercising, ease into it with walking, increasing your pace gradually.

 

Respite Care Provides Opportunities to Relax

It helps to have at least 10 minutes of quiet time daily. This way, you allow space for reflection and aligning with your intuition. Pick a convenient time, such as early morning or before bed. You might opt to pray, meditate, or read from an inspirational book. Or, if you have a picturesque yard, you can gaze out the window.

Creative pursuits such as crafting and cooking are another means of relaxation. Many people enjoy getting a manicure, pedicure, or massage. If you have an affectionate dog or cat, cuddling with your pet can help you unwind.

Meanwhile, respite care opens up space in your schedule for hobbies, such as birdwatching and photography. Plus, you can plan a vacation. With a trustworthy caregiver caring for your loved one, you can enjoy your holiday, knowing your loved one will be safe.

Seniors can face a variety of age-related challenges. Though some families choose to take on the caregiving duties, there may come a time when they need a trusted Fremont home care provider. Families sometimes need respite from their duties so they can focus on their other responsibilities, and some seniors need around-the-clock assistance that their families are not able to provide. Assisting Hands Home Care is here to help. Call (510) 270-4948 today to speak with a friendly and experienced Care Manager to formulate a home care plan for your loved one.