You might very well be one of those rare people who can handle just about any situation, even the most stressful of circumstances. Being a primary caregiver for another adult, especially a parent or grandparent, can tax even the most rational, patient, and calm people over time. It is a stressful and often thankless job, commonly met with plenty of opinions about how you should be doing things, comments, and even derision from siblings or other family members, but that doesn’t mean you want to give up. Not now.
Assisted living remains one of the best elder care options for anyone, regardless of their situation or where they live in the country. However, many people have the wrong idea about assisted living. They assume it is an elder care option that is a permanent, long-term solution to what may very well seem like a short-term challenge.
Enter respite care services for caregiver stress.
Not all assisted living facilities will provide respite care options for seniors or their caregivers, but for those that do, it can be a wonderful way to alleviate some of the stress you may be experiencing as the primary family caregiver.
April is Stress Awareness Month and the more aware you are about how stress is not only affecting your life and your relationships, but also your health, the more important it becomes to realize you need a break every once in a while.
Most of the time, though, family caregivers like you don’t believe there’s even the remotest possibility of time off. After all, even though you might have a brother or sister or several family members who could easily step up and provide some assistance, they seem to conveniently stay a good distance away, even though their opinions seem front and center in your life.
No, what you can take advantage of is what some assisted living facilities may provide, which is short-term, temporary stay opportunities for elderly men and women.
What might respite care look like?
At some facilities, a senior might be dropped off in the evening, spend some time mingling with other residents, having conversations, or enjoying the grounds before bedtime. They sleep at the facility and are picked up in the morning.
Another respite care option might be an aging senior staying at the facility for a few days a week. This might go on for several weeks, depending on the facility and their availability.
Some facilities may even provide short-term stays, like a week or two, possibly up to a month. All of these can give you, the family caregiver, the time you need to destress, unwind, or even take a vacation. The senior in your care also gets a break.
After all, when an adult child begins taking over the concerns of an aging parent, it changes the dynamic of the relationship and that is stressful enough. This April, look at how stress is affecting you, perhaps your primary job, your relationships, and especially the relationship you’ve had with this senior, and then acknowledge the benefits that respite care services at assisted living may provide.
If you or an aging loved one is considering a move to an Assisted Living Facility for Caregiver Services in Marietta GA please contact the caring staff at Woodland Ridge today. 770-431-7055
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