Getting Help with Caregiving – You Are Not Alone
As caregivers, we need a break. Respite refers to rest and relief, a break for the caregiver to care for themselves.
Types of respite include:
Home Care—skilled care provided at home, often initiated by doctor’s order or hospital stay and administered by medical professionals
- Home care attendants are professionals who come into the home and help out with personal care and housekeeping functions
- Medicare covers some home health services
- Medicaid can cover custodial care this is based federal requirements, but this can vary state by state
Adult Day Programs are for adults in a community-based group setting
- Social-model programs offer stimulation, socialization, and therapeutic activities and often will include meals
- Medical-model programs (adult day healthcare programs), offer health based services as well as social activities
- Some programs include assistance with activities of daily living and transportation
- Adult day services charge per hour, and may be covered under some long term care insurance policies
- Medicaid will cover some adult day health programs
Facility Based Respite
- Provide a short stay for your loved one in a nursing home or another facility—this service is utilized to get a break from caregiving role.
- This service charges each day your loved one is in the facility
- Medicare or Medicaid may cover the cost in an inpatient facility-you will need to pay costs not covered
Family
- Identify family members who can care for your loved one and create a rotating care schedule
- Enlist the help of family members living in different states by assigning them tasks such as legal/financial paperwork
Friends
- See if the individual’s friends can lend a hand in providing supervision
- Ask your own friends if they will help in order to help you take care of yourself
Have questions or need more information? Contact AFA’s Helpline at 866-232-8484 or click the chat icon in the lower right hand corner of this page.
