What is respite care? In the simplest of terms, it is a type of care offering temporary relief for the primary caregiver of an individual. If you are currently caring for a loved one or friend, respite care affords the opportunity to take a break while that person continues to get the support needed Fitness Reserve.

This is one of the most important care services out there, particularly when you consider carers are often overworked with minimal chances to rest. According to recent studies, carers are far more likely to experience psychological distress and mental health problems than the rest of the population. One study discovered almost 50% of carers in Australia reported mental health issues – four times more than the general public.

Whichever way you look at it, carers need a break. Respite care aims to offer a period of relief, but how exactly does it support carers? In this blog post, we’ll explain the various benefits of respite care and what it can do when you’re looking after someone.

Take time to recharge
It’s been heavily reported that carer burnout is a growing problem in this country. As mentioned above, this is mainly down to the increased stress levels associated with looking after someone. When you’re tasked with caring for an individual – or multiple people – it takes a lot out of you both physically and mentally. If you’re not careful, it’s so easy to burn out and be left feeling completely drained.

The benefit of respite care is that it gives you time to recharge. If you’re feeling burnt out, you can find respite care that supports your loved one for a week or more. They receive all the support they need while you can take some personal days. Use this time to go on holiday, spend a few days at the spa or sleep for as long as possible!

It puts you – the carer – in a position where you feel more refreshed and mentally happy. If you ever near the point of burnout again, you can call upon respite care to take a little break and recharge once more.

Bring more balance to your life to avoid burnout
Speaking of burnout, respite care can be used in other ways to avoid it and bring more balance to your life. Many people assume that the only form of respite care is the one detailed above. On the contrary, you can get regular respite care every day or week.

Some carers benefit from overnight respite care, meaning their loved one is looked after in the evenings and mornings by a qualified care professional. You may also find respite care that takes the person off your hands for a few hours a week.