Respite Care for Elderly with Dementia

Assisted living facilities in Schaumburg know that respite care is vital when caring for loved ones with dementia to prevent caregiver burn-out and preserve quality of care. Do you provide care for someone living with dementia? If so, you understand the rigors and strains that this condition causes to the patient, as well as their entire family, caregivers and support system. Respite care is one option to take the caregiver out of the situation for a little while and provide a higher-level of nursing care to those diagnosed with dementia. Senior Living Experts can connect you with resources and assisted living facilities in the region that offer respite care services.

Assisted living facilities in Schaumburg know that respite care is vital when caring for loved ones with dementia

There are many reasons to seek respite care for someone you love with dementia. It can improve prognoses and outcomes when used in chronic care situations, such as with a patient living with Alzheimer’s disease. Some specific ways respite helps include:

To reduce burnout

Caregivers, paid and unpaid, need a break. Use respite care services to prevent potential caregiver burnout for your loved one with dementia. Caregiver burnout is a type of exhaustion that occurs when caring for someone else and it manifests in physical, mental, and emotional ways. It is often accompanied by an ambivalence or apathy toward those in their care, though there are many other signs of this occurrence to be aware of:

• Changes in mood or symptoms of depression.
• Irritability or impatience.
• Fatigue.
• Propensity for illness or feeling sick.
• Change in sleeping or eating pattern.
• Social withdrawal and a lack of interest in activities and leisure.

To prevent compassion fatigue

When you don’t address or remedy burnout, the stage is set for compassion fatigue to occur. Compassion Fatigue is often experienced by those that help the distressed. There is a sort of secondary trauma that accompanies bearing witness to suffering, whether the afflicted is an animal or a person. Caregivers may be preoccupied with their duties and in a state of anxiety or tension- these are signs of compassion fatigue. Some other signs of this condition are similar to burnout but chronic and frequently accompanied by isolation, depersonalization, and hopelessness. There is a sense of detachment that comes from compassion fatigue among professional caregivers that could lead many to leave the field indefinitely.

For rehabilitation and fast-recovery

Aside from the caregivers’ needs clients may want to consider rehab and recovery before returning home after an injury or hospitalization which makes respite care a great option for seniors with dementia. This allows services and delivery to be arranged prior to the patient returning to independent living, which can create a smoother transition and more favorable outcomes overall. This also gives providers an opportunity to observe the patient as they ‘step-down’ from acute care in the event a complication or problem should arise.

To preserve the relationship

Utilize respite care to preserve the caregiver-client relationship. The rapport between clients and their caregivers is critical; taking time off from one-another can prevent strains or stresses that can affect this relationship over time. There is an old adage ‘absence makes the heart grow fonder’ which seems to sum-up the need to occasionally take a break.

For coping with the challenges of dementia

Not surprisingly, there are distinct challenges of working with patients with dementia. The changes in behavior and personality demonstrated by loved ones with dementia can cause angst and frustration among those closest to the senior. Taking time to discover new approaches, craft creative solutions, and practice patience is imperative. How can a caregiver help someone else when their own needs are not being met? Respite provides the time and space to further explore how to best cope with the everyday challenges and obstacles facing their client.

Look for qualified respite services in your area to give caregivers a break

Take advantage of online resources to find appropriate respite services for those living with dementia. Providers may be able to offer referrals, as needed, to gain prompt admission to a respite unit of an assisted living facility to care for the patient while also giving caregivers a well-deserved break. Respite makes sense when helping those in your charge recover from an injury, illness, or hospitalization, giving them immediate and easy-access to their team of providers.Don’t delay in getting caregivers their well-earned break when caring for a loved one living with dementia. Senior Living Experts can help narrow down your search to pinpoint assisted-living facilities in the area that offer respite care for patients with this debilitating condition. A thorough needs assessment will determine the level of care needed to smoothly transition patients with dementia from supportive living environments to assisted-care, and home again, while giving the caregiver the opportunity to rest, recharge, and remember why they provide the important care that they do.