Family caregiving – the act of providing unpaid assistance to a friend or family member with a disability, illness, or chronic condition has become increasingly common in recent years. A 2020 study conducted by AARP found that nearly one-in-five American adults serve as family caregivers in some capacity, and that more than half (61 percent) do so while managing the responsibilities of a job or caring for young children.

Balancing personal needs with those of a sick friend or family member is often challenging, and caregiver burnout is all too common among family caregivers, resulting in negative outcomes for both caregiver and receiver alike.

The need for family caregivers is likely to increase in coming years due to an aging population and deep federal cuts to Medicaid and Medicare preventing many from receiving subsidized assistance they could once count on.

Many family caregivers alleviate the demands of family caregiving by working with other family members to create broader support networks to share caregiver responsibilities, but coordinating among multiple people comes with its own challenges and can lead to uneven experiences for those in need.

An increasingly common solution is respite care – the practice of bringing a professional caregiver into the home for short periods of time to provide family caregivers with time to care for themselves while still providing reliable care and supervision for a family member in need.

Benefits of Professional Respite Care

Arranging respite care through a home health care agency can involve a little more work to set up than more informal arrangements, but offer unique benefits that make the service indispensable for family caregivers.

Consistency: Professional respite care is typically built on a recurring weekly schedule. This consistency means a family caregiver can make plans far in advance without worrying about last-minute cancellations because another family member is not available.

Unlike private respite care, a home health care agency will usually have substitute caregivers available in the event the regular caregiver needs to cancel.

Familiar Surroundings: While community centers often offer some form of day programming for older adults, travelling to and from such a location comes with its own complications and time requirements. Additionally, some people in need of assistance may feel uncomfortable in unfamiliar surroundings or are physically unable to travel to a community center safely.

By having a professional caregiver visit the individual’s home, they can remain where they feel most comfortable and safe while being assisted by someone outside their immediate circle of friends and family.

Skill and Support: Some individuals may need help with specific, safety-critical tasks like bathing or transferring from a bed to wheelchair. These tasks require a caregiver follows specific procedures to reduce risk, and a friend or family member volunteering to assist may not have the training or comfort level needed to safely perform these tasks. A trained home caregiver will not only understand these procedures due to their training, but an agency can provide an additional layer of oversight and support in the event of an emergency through their nurse supervisory and on-call teams.

Comfort and Dignity: Providing and receiving care can be deeply personal experiences, and some tasks, like toileting or assistance with continence, can be awkward or uncomfortable for some family members.

In many cases, having a professional third party like a home caregiver can reduce feelings of embarrassment by removing the family dimension from these interactions, allowing both caregiver and receiver to focus on the tasks at hand with dignity.

How and when to start respite care 

The conversation around bringing in a professional caregiver for respite care should begin as soon as a family realizes their loved one needs ongoing support. Many family caregivers wait until they feel overtaxed by their caregiver responsibilities to seek help, and can make the search for appropriate outside support feel much more rushed as a result.

By beginning the conversation about outside help early, a family can take the time to not only vet an agency, but meet with potential home caregivers and ensure the family feels comfortable with the person coming to help.

Even if you feel you do not need outside support immediately, having an existing relationship with a home health care agency can make getting that help much faster when the need does arise.

Preparing for professional respite care early also means a family can review their loved one’s insurance coverage and make an educated decision on how to apply those benefits. In many cases, long term care insurance policies have specific carve outs for respite care that can make these services extremely affordable or even free of out-of-pocket spending.

Choosing to become a family caregiver is an act of love of dedication. SelectCare applauds those in our community who offer their time and energy to ensure a loved one remains safe and comfortable as they manage their illness or condition, however we urge everyone making that choice to also think about their own wellbeing and the wellbeing of other family members who also need their support.

The decision to bring in outside assistance can be a challenging dynamic for some families, but taking these steps to prevent caregiver burnout is oftentimes the healthiest possible choice for both care recipient and caregiver alike.

To learn more about how SelectCare helps, call SelectCare today, request a free in-home care guide, or read firsthand accounts of SelectCare clients on our testimonials page.