Family caregivers are often overworked. They struggle to find time to meet their individual needs and the needs of their loved one; however, there is a solution to reduce the stress that caregivers might feel.  

Elmhurst Extended Care Center offers a respite care service. Respite care is when a nursing home takes over the role of caregiver. The service is temporary, and a family caregiver can take advantage of it year-round. By putting your elderly loved one in respite care, you can take time to meet your own needs while they continue to be cared for by professionals.  

How Does Respite Care Work? 

When scheduling respite care services, you will need to provide a list of your loved one’s medications with dosage amounts, their medical history documents, and their most recent physical. Then when you leave your aging loved one, EECC’s respite care will look at the documents for a reference. Rest assured that the schedule you have developed for your loved one will be followed by the nursing home.  

Let’s say that you have worked together with a doctor and your loved one to create a diet of specific food. If you talk to the staff at EECC and provide a document with details, the staff will continue with the routine. A round the clock team will make sure that your loved one is rovided with high-quality care.  

Why Do You Need Respite Care? 

You might be wondering about the purpose of respite care. Is it truly necessary? Who would leave their loved one with strangers?  

Believe it or not, respite care benefits both the family caregiver and their loved one. Respite care services benefit you by allowing you to focus on your needs. You can take care of your mental and physical health, and you can finally attend to things you have been putting off because you did not have time. Whether you want to go on vacation, or you have a business trip to go on, respite care will always be available for you. 

When you are ready to pick up your elderly loved one, you will be recharged. By taking care of your other responsibilities and relaxing a little, you can devote more of your attention and time to your loved one.  

Professional Care You Can Trust 

It is normal to feel concerned about leaving a loved one alone; however, you should remember that you are not leaving them completely alone. Your elderly loved one will be attended to by a skilled staff. Before signing up for respite care, you should schedule a tour of the nursing home. A tour will give you a better idea of what kind of staff works there. Plus, you will get to see if the residents look happy or if they are well attended to by the staff.  

Another aspect you should research before picking a nursing home is what services they offer. Do they offer a memory care service if your loved one has dementia or Alzheimer’s? Additionally, a skilled nursing staff would be an important feature to look for if your elderly loved one has any health problems. Both you and your loved one will be happy if you are aware of their needs and do plenty of research. 

If you need time to recharge, contact EECC so your loved one can receive the skilled nursing care they deserve.