Nearly 55 million people in the United States are caregivers for a parent, an in-law, or a spouse, most often women ages 45 to 64. Caregiver burnout causes mental, physical, and financial distress. According to an AARP research report, 40 percent of caregivers feel emotional stress while 20 percent of caregivers feel physical or financial burdens. Caregivers often feel the need to take on every aspect of caregiving for their loved one. As a result, they can feel anxious, depressed, fatigued, or worse.
Senior respite care services can provide several benefits alongside burnout prevention, including the five mentioned below.
Reestablish Relationships Outside of Caregiving
Caregivers often lose their identities as parents, spouses, friends, and other roles when becoming a caregiver. Their relationships with others can suffer due to the time constraints placed on them by caregiving. Having the time to reestablish these relationships is vital to a well-balanced life.
Alongside these relationships, respite care can restore a better balance between the caregiver and those being provided care. Built-up tension between loved ones is often a side effect of caregiving within the family dynamic, so allowing for breaks helps relieve frustrated feelings.
Allows Caregivers to Take Care of Themselves
Taking care of others is admirable and cannot happen without self-care. Oftentimes, caregivers forget their own needs, such as eating balanced meals, exercising, and making time for their hobbies. Too many people associate good caregiving with foregoing their own needs, which is the opposite of what is needed to be the best caregiver possible. Having respite care services gives caregivers a chance to reclaim their own health before they become ill from neglecting their own needs.
Offers More Affordable Care Options
Besides keeping their loved ones independent for as long as possible, many caregivers step in to save costly assisted living facility fees for their families. As opposed to spending thousands of dollars a month, respite care charges by the day and can be utilized as little or as often as a caregiver needs.
Gives Loved Ones More Social Interaction
Spending quality time with your family is important in life, but it is just as important to interact with a variety of people. Feelings of loneliness can contribute to a decline in health, especially cognitive conditions like dementia. By combating loneliness, loved ones can experience a better quality of life and possibly ward off the offset of certain conditions.
More Caregiving Options
There is an average of seven available caregivers in a family per person in need of care. However, a recent report notes the decline of available caregivers for aging populations to three per one family member due to families having less or no children. Respite care services can fill the gaps of potential caregivers to give families peace of mind that no matter what, there are options available for their loved ones.
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Sources
A Look at Future Declines in the Availability of Family Caregivers | AARP
Caregiver Burnout; Causes, Symptoms & Prevention | Cleveland Clinic