Respite care for dementia patients

Caring for a loved one who has dementia can be challenging. We have put together this article to give you information about how respite care can help to relieve some of the pressures you might be facing.

What respite care means

In a nutshell, respite care for dementia means that you can take a break from caring while someone else looks after your loved one. It’s also known as short-term or short-stay care and provides your loved one with a temporary living arrangement.

Being a full-time carer is a demanding role. It’s important to take well-earned breaks to stop you from becoming exhausted and overwhelmed.

There are lots of options for respite care for dementia. They range from volunteers sitting with your loved one for a few hours to short-term stays in care homes so that you can have some downtime or go on holiday.

Why respite care is important

Respite care for dementia lets you take time out to look after yourself and helps to stop you from becoming run down.

Caring for an ill member of your family can be demanding and nobody should face it alone. Using respite care services can help alleviate some of those demands and give you time to socialise with friends and family, focus on your own mental and physical health, and continue with hobbies and interests. Respite care for dementia can also minimise stress while knowing your loved one is still being well looked after.

How can respite care help?

Besides helping you from becoming exhausted, frustrated, and lonely, respite care has several other benefits. That’s not to say it’s not a rewarding, positive, and fulfilling experience. However, the opportunity to take a break for both the person doing the caring and the person receiving care can often benefit everyone. Common benefits include:

Reduces stress for the person giving the care and the family.
Relieves feelings of exhaustion, impatience, and frustration.
Allows you time to socialise with family, friends, and your wider community.
Improves your relationship with the person you’re caring for.
Allows the person receiving care to have valuable interactions with other people.

When to get respite care for dementia

Everyone needs a break from time to time and carers are no different. It’s important to have a rest whether it’s to meet friends for a few hours or go on holiday for a couple of weeks.

Taking a break from dementia care can have positive impacts on your physical and mental wellbeing.

Your local authority should provide clear information and advice from the earliest stage of the process. A range of replacement care options may be offered. This could include a stay in a care home, a place at a day centre, or access to another type of break using a direct payment.

Some people with dementia and carers may choose to arrange and pay for replacement care outside of any local authority arrangements. If this is something you’re considering, the friendly team at Mumby’s can guide you.

There’s no ‘best time’ to get respite care for dementia. Respite care is any care arrangement designed to give rest or relief to unpaid carers. It aims to support you to have a break from your caring responsibilities.

How can respite care for dementia help carers?

Respite care is an important part of treatment and care for people dealing with complex mental health needs, including dementia. It offers a chance for both people with care needs and those that help to care for them to reboot and take a break from their usual routine.

Temporary care is an essential part of a care plan so that you can have time to take care of your own needs, too. It’s essential that you’re able to look after your own health and wellness so that you can do your best to be there for the person you care for.

Respite care can give you the chance to catch up on sleep, address your own health issues, or simply have time to relax. If you’re a carer, finding the right care providers for temporary care needs is essential. Mumby’s help to make sure that your loved one who has dementia will get the care they need while you take a well-deserved break.

How can respite care help someone with dementia?

It’s not just carers who need a break sometimes. People who have care needs can also benefit from having someone different help them with their care for a night, a few days, or even a week or two.

Respite care can offer a change of scenery, routine, and new people to interact with. Routines can also be followed as closely as possible so that your loved one doesn’t have their life disrupted too much. Respite care can help people who receive care to regain some of their energy too.

Everyone in a care situation benefits from respite care. You might worry about handing the responsibility of care to someone else and perhaps even feel guilty about taking time for yourself. But not only is it good for you to look after yourself, you can also be sure that your loved one will receive professional care. It’s important for you to be as healthy and happy as possible if you want to provide the best level of care to your loved one. Being a carer takes a physical and emotional toll; and sometimes people need a break from their carers too.

Can respite care for dementia be done at home?

Respite breaks can be both planned or unplanned depending on circumstances and can take place in your own home. Everybody needs some time for themselves, even more so when they care for someone else. This is where respite care can be integral to your routine.

Live-in respite care allows you as a family carer to take a much-needed break from your caring duties by arranging a short-term carer to live in with and look after your loved one.

It can allow a person with dementia to stay in their own home without causing too much confusion or disruption.

What are the benefits of live-in respite care for dementia?

Live-in respite care is made to be flexible and work around your specific requirements. Generally, the biggest benefit of live-in respite care is that it allows your loved one to remain in their own home.

Without live-in respite care, the person you care for might need to stay in a residential care home when you need a break or time away. This could be quite a stressful experience and is typically more expensive.

Organising live-in respite care for dementia patients is a safe, more affordable, and less stressful solution.

How to find good respite care for dementia

Ask your local council’s adult social care department for information on homecare agencies in your area. They may have a directory of homecare agencies on their website. Find your local social services team (England only).
Search the NHS website for a list of local homecare agencies and a list of national homecare organisations.
Ask the United Kingdom Homecare Association (UKHMA) for a list of approved homecare agencies in your area.

At Mumby’s, we understand that no matter how much you love the person that you care for, you also need time to take care of yourself. Our outstanding live-in respite care means you have complete peace of mind while you are away.

Mumby’s respite care

Taking respite care helps to keep you healthy and re-energised. It allows you to better care for your loved one in the long term.

Mumby’s can provide your loved one with a temporary live-in care worker who is fully trained and skilled to offer tailored support while you are away. You enjoy a much-needed rest. This gives both you and your loved one a break from the daily routine.

Contact Mumby’s for a friendly chat.