Respite care is temporary care for older people in a Care Home or Care Home with Nursing. Often when people look for care they are confused whether respite care or permanent care is right for them.
Most care homes provide this type of service although you will need to check for availability and often care homes cannot book a long-time in advance because they often will not know what their availability will be in several months’ time.
There is normally a minimum length of stay for respite and how long this is will depend on the individual home. This is because a care home will have to complete a great deal of work, by law, prior to a resident moving which could include:
Pre-admission requirements
- Assessing the needs of a resident
- Writing a detailed individual Plan of Care
- Preparing the room for admission
- Informing all staff how what the new resident will need and how they like to be supported
- Ensuring there is an appropriate amount of medication available
- Liaising with GPs, Hospitals and other Healthcare professionals so that the home is able to provide safe and appropriate care.
About respite
Often the minimum length of stay is one week, but with some organisations it can be up to 1 month. When you make contact with a care home they will be able to provide you with this information.
There are a number of reasons why people choose to enjoy a Respite or Short Stay in a care home. It may be:
- A family carer may be going on holiday, in hospital themselves or just need a break to recharge their batteries
- A live in professional carer may need to take some annual leave
- To rehabilitate following an accident
- To help regain independence following a hospital stay before going home
Essentially a Short Stay in a care home or period of Respite is exactly the same as a permanent stay, it is just for a shorter and more finite period. You should expect the following from any stay in a care home:
- A full assessment prior to moving into the home
- A personalised and individual plan of care that lays out what you need help with and how you want to be supported
- 24 Hour Care and support from trained and dedicated staff
- A range of activities to join in with if you wish
- Good quality, appealing and nutritious food with plenty of choice which will support all dietary needs and preferences
- Companionship from your fellow residents
- Your own bedroom and access to the communal areas of the home
For more information or if you wish to discuss care for your loved one please email care@greensleeves.org.uk