What Can Respite Care Do for Your Family?

So many caregivers feel as if there’s no way for them to be able to take a real break. That’s where respite care can come in, making it easier for you to leave your family member with developmental disabilities in experienced hands.

You Can Get a Much-needed Break

Family caregivers have a tough job and most of them tackle that job with very few breaks, no vacation days, and with only a little bit of help. Having respite care assistance from professionals who understand what it’s like to help someone with developmental disabilities can feel like a miracle.

Taking regular time away allows you to take mental and physical time away from being a caregiver. That can be the key to you being able to continue as a caregiver.

Trained Professionals Are with Your Family Member

For so many caregivers, it’s nerve-wracking to leave at all. But knowing that your family member is in the hands of someone who has experience dealing with her specific needs can be such a relief for you. It can take some time for you to build your trust, but that’s what respite care can do for you. It allows you to recharge yourself while you slowly learn that everything is okay and will continue to be okay.

Respite Care Doesn’t Have to Be about Hitting Targets

While respite care is a break for you, it can also be a break of sorts for your family member. Much of her time is likely spent trying to hit goals and master tasks, especially when she’s working with a variety of different professionals on specific life skills. But respite care doesn’t have to be about hitting any targets. It can be just as much a break for your family member as it is for you.

You Can Combine What You Need with What Your Family Member Needs
Ultimately both you and your family member benefit greatly from respite time. Having a break from each other allows you both to take a deep mental breath and come back to the situation with a different perspective. That old saying about absence making the heart fonder might not be completely accurate, but you can both be a little happier to see each other after a couple of hours in other situations.

Letting go, even for a little bit, can allow you to be more on top of things when you return to your caregiving duties. That has a powerful impact on both your well-being and the well-being of the rest of your family.

If you are considering residential habilitation in Zionsville, IN, please call the caring staff at RSI Cares. Serving Greater Indianapolis Area. Call for Immediate Info & Assistance: 317-471-0750.

Etelka Froymovich