How To Choose The Right Respite Care Option

Respite care is an important part of a care plan for both those receiving the care and those giving it. However, there are several types of respite care options, which can make it difficult to find the right choice for your situation.

Respite care is when another carer steps in, allowing the primary caregiver time off to recharge, run errands and look after themselves. It is crucial as it prevents carer burnout, enabling them to provide better quality care overall.

But, if the right care isn't chosen and you don't have confidence in those providing the care, it can feel more of a task than a relief.

Respite care options include:

Care at home
Attending a day care centre
Day stays or longer at a care home
Holiday care

At Old Alresford Care Home, we believe that our respite care services are the most important of our offerings for those living at home. Whether you are looking for day care or longer-term respite, our compassionate and bespoke care is often the most suitable choice for you.

In this blog, we discuss how you choose the right respite care option for you and your loved one.

Assessing The Needs Of Both Caregiver and Receiver

Respite care needs to suit both the caregiver and the care receiver, meeting both of their needs, from length of time to location to type of care provided.

Caregiver Needs

You need to identify the needs of the caregiver first. This can be tricky sometimes as they can be so wrapped up in giving everyone else what they need they might not know what they need.

If you are a caregiver assessing your needs, think about how you are looking after your own mental and physical health.

Are you setting aside time to do hobbies and see your friends? Have you got time to run errands or exercise?

In answering these questions, you might start to get an idea of how long you need someone to help you to facilitate these. It might also point you in the direction of how often you need help.

At this point, do you think a few hours each week would be beneficial, or do you need something slightly longer, such as overnight every two weeks?

Care Recipient Needs

Of course, you will already know what care your loved one needs as you provide it. But sometimes, when assessing your respite care options, it is good to make a list of their needs.

This will help you recognise what care you need the respite carers to provide. Do they need to meet medical, physical or emotional needs?

Does your loved one simply need a companion and some help moving around, or have they got a specific medical condition, such as dementia?

Matching Needs To Respite Care

With a list of your needs as a caregiver and the needs of your loved one as the care receiver, you can start matching the suitability of the respite care options to them.

If you are looking for a regular few hours, visits to your home from professional staff might be best, but if you need an overnight break, looking into a care home that offers short-term respite care could be the solution.

Of course, you need to ensure the type of service you are interested in can provide the care your loved one needs, so if they need medical care, you will need a service that can provide trained nurses. If you are looking for a companion and someone to help with some day-to-day tasks, your options are slightly more flexible.

Tips on Finding Reputable Respite Care Services

It can feel overwhelming researching respite care options, so here are a few tips that can help you.

Check provider's credentials and certifications - look into their CQC rating, and don't be afraid to ask them about their staff's qualifications and health and safety compliance policies.
Review testimonials and ratings - as with any product, take a look at the reviews that have been left for them. Look at homecare.co.uk or carehome.co.uk.
Trial visits and consultations - no matter what respite care option you are interested in, it is a good idea to have a trial or consultation. This will allow you and your loved one to experience their services to determine their suitability and your comfort with them.

When talking to various care providers, you shouldn't be afraid to ask questions to get a thorough understanding of what they provide and how they meet your needs.

Questions to ask can include:

What is the staff-to-care receiver ratio?
What qualifications and training do your staff have?
How do you handle emergencies?
Do you customise care plans?
Do you have structured activities and routines?
How do you accommodate dietary restrictions and preferences?
What safety measures do you put in place?
What are your rates?
Do you accept care funding options?
Are there additional fees I should be aware of?
What are the minimum and maximum hours you provide?
How do you communicate with me and other relatives?
How flexible are you?

Financial Considerations To Make

Of course, as with any care decision, when researching your respite care options, you need to consider how much each might cost and how you would fund it.

Financial considerations you need to think about include:

Understanding costs - the cost of each respite care option will vary, so be sure to get an understanding of how much each service will cost you.
Funding sources and support - there are several government initiatives and grants that can help you pay for respite care services. Local authorities can offer a care needs assessment that will assess your needs and financial circumstances for local funding. Attendance Allowance or Pension Credit are other examples of support you might qualify for.

Respite Care At Old Alresford Care Home

It is important that you choose the right type of respite care because it gives you peace of mind so you can make the most of it.

To choose the right respite care option, you need to consider your needs and the needs of your loved one. This will help you figure out the options available and their suitability.

When looking at specific care providers, be sure to check their credentials and reviews and ask for a trial run, as this will show how well they match your needs. Don't forget to ask questions when talking to them too.

Finally, make sure you consider the financial aspects of the options. How much will they cost each month, and are there any funding initiatives that could help?

At Old Alresford Care Home, we offer day and long-term respite care options. We are proud of this service and believe it is one of the most important offerings we have.

Whether you need somewhere local for your loved one to spend a day in a different environment so you can run errands or would like them to stay for a night or more, we can be flexible. Plus, we can become a regular part of your care plan or a one-off.

From a day, a single night, to a couple of weeks while you are on holiday, the team at our care home welcome your loved one with open arms to be part of our family. They are encouraged to participate in our range of activities and join our long-term residents at meal times in our dining area.

We recommend that you visit our care home before booking our services so that you and your loved one get to experience life at our home and view our rooms and facilities before committing to joining it.

Call us on 01962 734121 or complete our online contact form, and we will get back to you.

We look forward to meeting you and answering any questions you might have about us as a respite care option.