10 Reasons Respite is Essential for Caregivers

What is respite? Respite care is a temporary relief for caregivers. These services can be provided at your home or healthcare facility. This form of care can be for a couple of hours or an extended period. Respite is great for individuals in need but also essential for caregivers.

Here are 10 reasons respite is essential for caregivers:

Give Yourself Space
Stay Connected
Maintain Your Identity
Allow Yourself to Work
Energy
Time
Recovery
Peace of Mind
Just Because

Give Yourself Space

Spending every moment together can cause tension between individuals. Spending time apart can alleviate this tension and restart your relationship when you come back together.

This way you can relax, be comfortable, and take time to clear your mind.

Stay Connected

Caregiving is very time-consuming and can also be draining. When you are mentally and physically drained, you tend to isolate yourself from friends and family. Respite can give you the time and energy to reinvigorate these connections. It’s important to keep healthy social and community relationships not only for you but also for your loved one.

Maintain Your Identity

Keeping your identity is important while taking care of others. Respite can give you the time to take a moment to yourself and regain your sense of self.

This can also go both ways. You can give your loved ones a moment to discover their own identity through the relationships they build with someone other than you.

Allow Yourself to Work

Having respite can allow you to keep your full-time or part-time job away from your caregiving responsibilities.

Energy

Being a caregiver may make you feel like you must always be on top of everything, but you only have so much energy to do so. Taking the time to rest can help you to avoid unnecessary burnout. Not only can respite rebuild your physical energy, but your emotional energy too.

This will ensure you will be able to give more to your loved ones.

Time

Having respite can give you much more time in your day. Constant care can make it hard for a caregiver to get everyday responsibilities done. With the extra time to yourself, you can accomplish some of your pressing projects, responsibilities, or commitments you have outside of caregiving. This can give the time needed to be refreshed for a new perspective.

Recovery

Sometimes the unexpected happens and you may need to take care of yourself. If you fall ill, respite is there to step in and take over for you so that you can get well without worry.

Peace of Mind

For individuals with more independence, respite can be there just to check in and make sure everything is ok when you are not around. This can put your mind at ease that your loved one can still feel independent with you not around and still get the care that is needed.

Just Because

It’s okay to want to take a day for yourself just because. Getting out and enjoying something that is just for you is important, whether it be indulging in your favorite hobby or reading a good book. Self-care is essential in making yourself physically and emotionally ready to give your loved one the best care.

Are you ready to start using respite for you and your loved one? Angel Guardians created the VSP (Very Special People) Club with caregivers in mind. We provide a safe environment where individuals can come enjoy activities, giving caregivers the time they need.