How respite care can recharge and renew you and your loved ones

Being cared for by a loved one is a cherished and special experience.

Although this labour of love has its rewards, the role of a caregiver can become overwhelming, as can having the same daily routine – especially without regular breaks.

A great way to take a break is with residential respite care – a short, temporary stay in an aged care facility, where you can be confident you’ll be looked after with round-the-clock care, while your loved one gets extra time to take care of themself.

A well-deserved break can benefit both you and your caregiver and can alleviate the built-up stress that often develops in a caregiver- recipient arrangement.

Take advantage of government subsidies

Did you know that the Australian government subsidises residential respite care?

Each year, eligible people can access up to 63 days of government-supported respite care. These 63 days reset annually on 1 July, allowing recipients to spread short nursing home stays across the year.

Services such as My Aged Care can help those eligible to coordinate access to government-subsidised aged care.

The break everyone deserves

Taking a break isn’t a luxury or something to feel guilty about, it’s important for both parties to renew and recharge.

For your caregiver, residential respite care offers an opportunity to go on holiday, attend to other priorities or invest extra time in themselves and the activities they enjoy.

For you, respite care offers a unique opportunity to mix up your routine, interact with other carers and professionals, build social connections and have new experiences you wouldn’t otherwise have.

Short-term residential respite care helps to refill both you and your loved one’s cup, allowing them to continue offering the best care for you, and maintaining your cherished connection.

Access to 24/7 professional care

Residential respite care offers round-the-clock care by a team of nurses and professional carers, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

You’ll enjoy the same level of care and services as permanent residents, including meals, housekeeping, social activities and comprehensive nursing care.

You can fully enjoy your stay being well looked after, while your caregiver enjoys a guilt-free break, knowing someone will be by your side in their absence.

A chance to “try before you buy”

If a permanent move into an aged care facility is on your mind, residential respite care offers you the unique chance to “try before you buy” at one, or several facilities.

You’ll get first-hand experience of what life in a nursing home is like, and you can use short stays in different facilities to research the options in your area, giving you the ability to make an informed choice on the perfect facility to suit your needs.

Aged Care Decisions’ free matching service makes finding residential respite care easy. Your location, budget, care needs and personal preferences are matched with available facilities that suit your specific needs.

Aged Care Decisions’ can help you:

• find short-term respite vacancies in residential aged care facilities
• find permanent placements that suit your specific needs;
• arrange tours to visit aged care facilities.

Aged Care Decisions can assist you at every stage of your aged care journey. Their 100% FREE aged care matching service helps tens of thousands of Australian families each month. Visit www.agedcaredecisions.com.au to take the stress out of finding the right place to take a break.