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What is a respite care provider, and how can they help in ensuring our seniors’ good health and safety?
This is a question that came to mind while I was talking with Amanda Jackson-Swinburne, Home Care Liaison at TheKey.
As a service provider for geriatric care, I’ve always thought about how I can help seniors, caregivers, and other health professionals.
While I’m familiar with respite care, I admit I still have a lot to learn.
So today, I’m sharing our conversation on how a respite care provider like TheKey can help you manage senior care much better.
Let’s get it started.
Amanda: Respite care is a form of temporary care that is provided to individuals with disabilities, chronic illnesses, or other special needs to give their primary caregivers a break from their caregiving responsibilities.
It is designed to provide temporary relief for caregivers. Respite care allows them to attend to personal needs, go on vacation, or simply take a break from their daily responsibilities.
Respite care can be provided in a variety of settings, including the individual's home, a respite care facility, or a healthcare facility.
The duration of respite care can vary from a few hours to several weeks, depending on the needs of the individual and their caregiver.
Respite care services can range from basic support, such as companionship and personal care, to more advanced medical care for individuals with complex health needs.
Some respite care programs are specifically designed to meet the needs of individuals with specific conditions, such as Alzheimer's disease, developmental disabilities, or mental health issues.
Amanda: I’m an occupational therapist (OT) and certified aging-in-place specialist (CAPS). I also serve as a liaison for TheKey, which provides home care assistance for people aging in place or assisted living.
TheKey used to be known as Home Care Assistance. And we have been serving people for 20 years across the country.
As a liaison for TheKey, my role is to provide the right respite care plan to caregivers and seniors.
My goal is to identify their needs, create a plan that fits their requirements, and also refer them to the right people and communities for further assistance.
It can look different depending on your situation. We’ve had clients who have worked with us so they could go on vacations or go on grocery runs.
Some just want to get out of the house and take a break from their parents.
We do our best to provide whatever the caregiver needs to help them avoid caregiver burnout.
Amanda: It’s a little different every day. My main role is to learn how we could help people and establish relationships with them.
I’m often in meetings or doing lunches, presentations, and conversations with senior living communities. I also host events and provide awareness and education about what we do.
You’d be surprised because most times, people get scared of getting a respite care provider.
My role helps people, especially caregivers, understand how respite care can provide them temporary relief from the challenges of caregiving.
Amanda: TheKey provides a personalized care plan that can help family caregivers and seniors living independently that meets their needs.
Some of the services we offer include 24/7 support for home care, including companionship, help at home, respite care, and live-in care.
We also provide memory care at home for people living with any type of cognitive decline. Most of our patients deal with mild memory problems to advanced dementia.
There are times when we get to help people who need extra hands in the home, or after they have surgery.
But most times we get calls from the caregivers: the husband or wife who already reached burnout.
Then we come up with a plan to make the load easier on them. That’s where we come up with different solutions that are helpful for them.
Amanda: We usually do a free assessment to help them identify what they need. Clients can schedule a call or a face-to-face meeting so we could check on their requirements and create an individualized plan for them.
Most of the time, families are overwhelmed with what they need to do. They always tell us they don’t know what they need or where to start.
After our conversation, they usually get the clarity and plan they need to better cope with their new roles as caregivers.
Amanda: Most people think we only deal with daily activities. What they don’t know is that we have a broad scope.
We can also provide transportation for appointments, like if their seniors would like to get lunch out with friends.
We also do grocery management, meal prep, and housekeeping.
Sometimes they don’t know what they need, and they also don’t know the services we offer.
Then there are people assuming we lock them in crazy long-term contracts so they get scared of getting our services.
What they don't know is that we can provide a personalized plan that can solve their biggest challenges.
That's also my role as a liaison. I provide information to caregivers and other geriatric care health workers so we could recommend the best action plan.
Amanda: The thing is, they probably do. And the best thing to do is to give us a call.
Caregiving may sound easy, but there are so many complications that people need to deal with.
Sometimes they realize they need help only when they get to their limit.
Like when they do laundry and become too tired to do other things like preparing their meals. These things can progress to seniors missing their meals.
Then there’s weight loss, and suddenly they become malnourished. By the time they recognize this, it may become a serious health problem.
That’s why it’s important to get all the help you need.
The goal is to prevent big problems from happening. And also to take a lot of load off your shoulders.
So the best way to go is to give us a call or inquire about our services so we could get you a personalized plan for all the help you need.
If this is you, reach out to us on our website here.
A respite care provider is a necessary partner in caring for our seniors.
Providing care for a loved one can be emotionally and physically draining, and respite care offers a much-needed break for caregivers to recharge and prevent burnout.
Respite care providers offer specialized care and support that cater to the unique needs of each individual, allowing caregivers to rest easy knowing their loved ones are in capable hands.
Next week, we will be sharing more of our conversation with Amanda, so watch out for that.
And don’t forget to share this blog post with your fellow caregivers too.
That's all for today.
Take care, keep mom safe at home and have a great day!
Winn
I am a Doctor of Physical Therapy and have been working with the 70+ age group for over a decade. I will share my knowledge and experience to give you ideas to care for your aging parents. Read more >>