Caregiving, especially when you are caregiving for a family member, can be an overwhelming responsibility. Caregiving is one of those jobs where you don’t get any sick leave, you don’t get any vacation time, and you have to be on call twenty-four hours a day seven days a week. You are completely in charge of someone else’s care, meaning that you have to be able to feed them, do all of their chores, take them to doctors appointments, and more. It can feel overwhelming. That’s why respite care, like our respite care in San Juan Capistrano, is so important to caregivers everywhere. But what exactly is respite care?
What is respite care?
Essentially, respite care is a short term care solution in order to give caregivers a little bit of a break. Because caregiving is a job where you always have to be on, and always have to be at your best, respite care allows for caregivers to have their loved one looked after by someone else, even if just for a little while.
Respite care services can last anywhere from a few hours to a few days or more. It enables caregivers to take a little time for themselves and have a break from their responsibilities.
Apart from that, respite care also gives some incredible benefits:
1. A sense of renewal
If you don’t have enough self-care time, you can start to feel burned out. This is what happens to an exceedingly large number of caregivers, simply because they aren’t able to find any time to take care of themselves too. Getting your loved ones into the care of respite care, even just for a little while, allows you to take care of yourself in a way that you may not be able to when you’re “on the clock“.
While your loved one is in respite care, you can go to the spa, hang out with friends, or even just catch up on sleep. When you go to pick up your loved one, you will feel renewed and refreshed, knowing that your loved one was well taken care of in your absence.
2. Revitalizes energy
Caregiving is an exhausting job. You always have to be on call and you don’t get any breaks. However, there is only so much energy and focus that you can spare. At some point, you’re going to run out of energy, and that can cause you to make mistakes.
Respite care allows you to reclaim some of the energy that you lose while caring for your loved one. It allows you to recharge so that you can come back with more physical, mental, and emotional energy to continue being a rockstar at your very difficult job.
3. Allows everyone some space
When you are around someone constantly, without any kind of breaks or space, you can really start to grate on each other’s nerves. That doesn’t mean that you don’t love each other; it’s perfectly normal to want some space to be away from those that you cherish the most. Respite care allows you to do that.
When tensions are high, frustration starts to show and people can say or do things that they don’t truly mean out of that frustration. It can cause a lot of unnecessarily hurt feelings and upset. So, when you start to sense that the two of you may need a little bit of space, our respite care in San Juan Capistrano may be the perfect solution. You can rest easy, knowing that your loved one is well taken care of, but it allows the two of you to get a little bit of space, and let some of the rising tension die down.
4. Allows caregivers to follow their own passions
When they become full-time caregivers, many people will stop doing what they love or are passionate about, simply because they often don’t have the time to pursue their passions anymore. By using respite care services, though, you can use that opportunity to continue to pursue your passions.
While your loved one is in the safe and careful hands of our respite care at San Juan Capistrano, you can have time to pursue the things that you are truly passionate about. That could be a hobby you haven’t been pursuing, a hiking trip you haven’t taken, or a play or show you’ve been dying to go to. Knowing that your loved one is in safe hands allows you to pursue your passions and desires without having to worry about their well-being at home while you’re gone.
5. Returns a sense of personal identity
When you’re a caregiver, it’s easy to let that caregiver title become your entire identity. Because you often don’t have time to pursue and enjoy the things that make you uniquely you, many caregivers suffer a loss of personal identity during the time that they are caregivers. But this shouldn’t be the case.
Respite care allows you the opportunity to just be yourself while knowing that your loved one is being taken care of. You can go out for dinner with your friends, or attend the wedding that you want to, or just go to the movies. Respite care gives you the opportunity to do things that you would’ve done before you became a caregiver, without having to feel guilty about leaving your loved one alone.
Making Time for Yourself with Serra Sol’s Respite Care in San Juan Capistrano
Not only is finding a good respite care center so important for caregivers, but they can also provide new and exciting experiences for your senior loved one. Senior living communities that offer respite care, like Serra Sol’s respite care in San Juan Capistrano, have incredible activities, classes, and food for your seniors to enjoy. It can be an exciting experience for them, too!
If you’re interested in seeing what Serra Sol can do for you, contact us and schedule a tour with us today!