If placing your loved one in nursing care is a difficult prospect, even on a short-term basis, local area agencies on aging or social service agencies are sometimes willing to help out. These agencies can sponsor volunteer-driven programs where a substitute caregiver can provide respite care in the home for a few hours at a time. However, there are some things you’ll need to keep in mind before pursuing this service:
- Visits are usually only for a few hours at a time.
- Visiting caregivers are not medical professionals, but are volunteers.
- There are limits to the kind of care they can provide, particularly in the case of seriously ill family members.
Advantages to this option exist as well, and these include:
- Even a few hours provides some relief to the caregiver
- Unlike Nursing Care facilities, these programs are usually free of cost, or very low cost.
Even with the limitations of this sort of service, it can be a valuable source of help and relief for the full-time caregiver who just needs a little time to take care of basic needs like grocery shopping, paying bills, running to the bank, or taking care of basic errands. It can be more personalized than a nursing home stay, and since it takes place in the home, could be less stressful to your loved one as well—especially if moving the patient is problematic. Look into local agencies to compare costs and services.
