Preparing Your Seniors for a Day with a Respite Home Care Provider

Senior Care in Amagansett NY

Even if your aging loved ones are not in a regular home care arrangement that has a care provider coming to the home to give them care, assistance, and support on a daily, semi-weekly, or weekly basis, you can still gain tremendous benefit from the services of an in home health care services provider giving your parents respite care.

Respite care is all about you being able to take the time that you need to handle your own tasks and responsibilities, or just to take a much-needed break. This care provider steps in so that you can take a few hours or even a few days away from your caregiver routine so that you can focus on yourself. This can be a tremendous benefit, allowing you to divide your time more efficiently and ensuring that you get the rest, relaxation, and stress relief necessary to keep you happy and healthy throughout your care journey.

Use these tips to help you prepare your seniors for a day with a respite home care provider:

• Explain the situation. You do not need to justify your decision to take some time off to your parents, or even tell them what you are planning to do while you are away from them. You do, however, need to explain the situation to your parents in advance so that they have the opportunity to get used to the concept and do not feel like you are “springing” it on them. Tell them that you are taking a specific amount of time off and that they will have a care provider in the home who will be there to take care of their needs. This will give them confidence and reassure them that you will be back.

• Introduce in advance. If possible, plan a time for the care provider to come by the home to meet your parents before their day of care with them. This makes them feel more comfortable with the care provider and gives them a chance to relax around her so that they are more prepared to rely on her for their care.

• Write instructions. A respite care provider does not know how you usually run your day or the things that your parents like to do on a daily basis. Rather than letting her just “wing it” and run the day like she would with any other client, write out specific instructions. This structures her care and makes it more likely that she is able to keep their routine as intact as possible and feel confident they can help your parents enjoy the day and stay comfortable. This also makes your parents feel more in control of their care knowing that their routine will go as they expect and that their care provider knows how to do things the way that they like them done.

• Give contact information. Make sure that you leave detailed contact information so that your parents know that if they need you, they will be able to get in touch with you. Explain to them that you do not want them to contact you with things that the care provider can do, but that if it is an emergency, you are there for them.

If you or an aging loved one are considering hiring professional senior care services in Amagansett, NY, call the caring staff at Artful Home Care today at 631-685-5001.