‘Tis the Season! The holidays are a wonderful, special, and breathtaking time of year. From dazzling holiday displays to festive family gatherings to school performances and everything in between, it can keep you running 24/7. And while most everyone enjoys the holiday cheer being spread from there to here, it can also hit a point where it’s overwhelming and you might find your holiday cheer rapidly decreasing. That’s when you need to call on the supportive services of respite care.
Why Respite Care is Needed During the Holidays
Taking care of your elderly loved one is a great honor, but it can also be a lot of work at times. Depending on how much daily care your loved one needs, it can mean helping with mobility, managing medical concerns, helping them keep their social commitments, and even doing all of their housework and personal care. It can be a lot during a non-holiday time, but add in all of the holiday hullabaloo and it can quickly become too much, causing the caregiver to feel extremely stressed, overwhelmed, and very un-merry.
Five Benefits of Respite Care for You and Your Loved One
- Allow you to take care of extra errands and chores. The holidays can mean you have more errands to run (ie: more shopping to do), more cleaning to do, and more chores around the home. If you have a big family gathering at your place, you might feel stressed by all you have to do to take care of the home. Add that into caring for your loved one, and it might seem impossible. Having your loved one attend respite care, even for just a few hours, can allow you to catch back up on what needs to be done.
- Give you a chance to reconnect with others. Many people use the extra time off of work and school to reconnect with friends that they haven’t seen for a while. Offices have holiday parties, and even schools have family nights. Your loved one may not be able to (or desire) to attend these events. By using respite care, you can still attend and connect with others knowing your loved one is safe and well looked after.
- Lets you travel. This is especially important if your loved one has mobility or other health issues that don’t allow her to travel. If you have family that lives out of state and cannot come to you, you might find it nice to be able to fly to their location for a long, holiday weekend. Respite care services offer multiple night care so that you can do that.
- Provide you with breathing room. With so many things to do, you might find that it’s hard to do the basic things plus continue to care for your loved one lovingly. It’s not uncommon for nerves to get raw and emotions to be high during the holidays. You can reduce that stress and provide for your loved one even better if you allow yourself to accept some respite care.
- Offer a change for your loved one. Your loved one might enjoy going to a respite care facility. It could provide him with a chance to connect with peers and make new friendships. If he’s stressed over the holiday insanity that happens when all 25 cousins are in one house, a respite care facility may give him the peace he needs.
If You Or An Aging Loved One Are Considering Respite Care in Itasca, IL, Please Contact The Caring Staff At Assisting Hands Home Care – Lombard Today At (630) 313-6160.
Assisting Hands Home Care – Lombard Provides Exceptional Home Care For Seniors In Elmhurst, IL And The Surrounding Areas.