One of the levels of hospice care is respite care. This is a form of care for caregivers, rather than for the patient.
With respite care, you are able to take a short break from your duties as primary caregiver.
A member of the hospice staff takes the caregiver’s place for the duration of the respite, which lasts for up to five days (as specified by Medicare guidelines). If necessary, the patient can be moved to an in-patient facility during this time.
Here are some of the reasons why caregivers may use respite care to take some time off:
- Attending a special event, such as a graduation, wedding, etc.
- Catch up on estate planning or other aspects of care
- Catch up on other unrelated life obligations that have fallen by the wayside
- Reconnect with family members or friends who have not been able to spend time with the caregiver due to the caregiver’s duties
- Take a breather just to rest, restoring energy and preventing burnout
As we already mentioned, the maximum amount of time you can take off for a given respite period is five days. But how many times can you do this?
You might wonder if it is limited to one time. The answer to that is no. It is possible to take more than one respite. So, you should not be nervous about requesting respite care.
How many respite care breaks you can take is ultimately contingent upon the policies of the individual hospice. These should be explained to you before the patient enters hospice care.
Some hospices may allow more frequent respite care than others. They may also account for individual factors, such as how complex the patient’s case is, as well as your own mental health needs. So, they may approve some requests more readily than others.
You should only request respite care when you need it, however, as it does require substantial resources. Try to save it for times when you are extra in need of a break, or when you have other obligations you cannot meet without it. So long as you are not abusing the respite system, your requests should be fine.
Learn How Journey Palliative and Hospice Can Help
Caring for a loved one during the end of life is essential, and gives you a chance to be close to that person in their final months. But it can take a toll on even the most dedicated caregivers, which is why respite care is also important.
Journey Palliative and Hospice can lighten the burdens of care by working with you to provide care to your loved one, including regular at-home care, as well as respite care for you to take a break and recharge.
To find out how we can help, please give us a call at (818) 748-3427. We are based in Burbank, and offer hospice services throughout the Los Angeles metropolitan region.
