Your Guide to Emergency Respite Care in Watford
Hello! Here's your free guide to emergency respite care in Watford. We'll cover what to expect, the services available, and how to get set up quickly.
What is Emergency Respite Care in Watford? And When Can You Use It?
Most people think of emergency respite care as a service provision that is only used in situations where Mum or Dad has been hospitalised. However, you can use it for sudden illness, family emergencies and caregiver breaks.
Typically, emergency respite care for the elderly is a service that provides short-term cover during unplanned situations; provided by trained care professionals. Depending on your choice of service provider in Watford, you can book emergency respite care to cover day care or around-the-clock attention.
And you shouldn’t feel guilty about asking for help with respite. If life has become chaotic and you are trying desperately to juggle Mum and Dad’s growing care needs with family or work commitments, then it can be time for an emergency stop. Time to catch your breath. At Home Instead Watford, we believe that having access to respite care when needed is your right as a caregiver. That’s why we provide complete respite care services to caregivers and those you care for.
Respite care in Watford is also something you plan for, which you can learn more about here.In other words, if Mum or Dad have a planned surgery or you have a work trip, respite can be arranged to provide the cover you need.
What Are the Different Types of Emergency Respite Care Services in Watford?
Emergency respite care services come in various forms, so understanding a little bit about what to expect is important.
- In-Home Care: This is an option where professional caregivers like Home Instead Watford provide support in the comfort of your loved one’s home on a part-time or full-time basis over a tapering period. We can help cover their essential care, as well as things like housework – great for while Mum and Dad are struggling to do it themselves.
- Residential Facilities: Here, you will be offered temporary stays in care homes or a nursing home setting for a set period. You will have to organise additional care when Mum or Dad return home.
- Day Care Centres: Daytime care that offers activities and social engagement. There are several local centres in Watford you can try, and we recommend these specifically for carer breaks during the day, not for respite from illness. Read on, and we’ll provide you with a starting list!
How do you decide which service would benefit your situation and family dynamic? From the clients we help (and published social care studies), we see that respite care in the home is far more beneficial to recovery times and a healthy return to independence. On a part-time basis, home care is also a great follow-up option for those who need a helping hand to get out and about or manage at home on their own. As can be companionship care, which you may only need for a few hours every few weeks. Switching between emergency care and tailored long-term care is more straightforward with one provider.
Whatever option you choose, we recommend starting with a care conversation. Include Mum and Dad to find out what they need from their perspective. When you need more advice, we offer a free, no-obligation home visit, and we’d love to help show you where we can help. Call 01923 250513.
[Need help tackling the care conversation with Mum and Dad? We get it. We can offer some help with our free guide.]
How Quickly Can You Get Mum or Dad into Respite Care in Watford?
Care services funded by social care can be a bit more tricky to secure. You will have noticed that in the hospital, as you speak with your care team. It can also mean a cross-over of teams and faces, which can feel a little bewildering.
Emergency respite care with Home Instead Watford can be in place within the first 24 to 48 hours. And in most cases, we’ve been able to do that because, unlike care homes, there’s no waiting for beds; it’s just a matter of matching you with a care pro(s). That same care pro(s) will deliver the entirety of your services, which means that while they start as strangers, they ultimately become your care colleagues and friends. Our clients tell us this is the biggest reason they would recommend us; “Home Instead Watford provides a personalised service that works closely with the family to help Mum and Dad feel happy and healthy.”
Here is an example of our client work: Janet recently had a hip operation and needed 24-hour care, including waking nights. We implemented that to take effect from the moment she was discharged. There was no waiting around in the hospital; it was just a quick and welcoming return home. Her care team was with her every step of her recovery, gradually reducing assistance as she recovered. She is now back on her feet and loving life.
Want to find out how we can help you?
But Does Accepting Home Care Respite Services Lead to Needing a Care Home? No!
In most cases, Mum or Dad will need emergency respite care to cover a situational occurrence, post-hospital visit, post-fall, post-illness, or to cover a carer break. Respite care does not mean long-term help or necessarily a lead into a care home.
The way we provide home-based respite care is to focus on a) your loved one’s recovery and b) their return to independence, in whatever that looks like for them going forward. So ideally, you’d taper off respite care completely or swap it out for lighter services, like housekeeping or companionship care.
Who Pays for Emergency Respite Care in Watford?
The cost of emergency elderly care in Watford can depend on your provider and duration of care, but there are several options (although some are limited).
- Private Payment: Many families cover full or partial costs out of pocket for emergency respite care.
- Local Authority Support: If your loved one qualifies for assistance, your local council may cover some or all of the costs after a care needs assessment. The application can be lengthy and may require heavy communication, so always consider if you need to keep your provider’s accounts team up to date. And remember, even under social care, where funding is available, you may have to pay for supplies, like incontinence pads.
Local authority: Hertfordshire County Council
[If you need more Watford carer support information, visit our free guide]
- NHS Continuing Healthcare (CHC) or, as you may know it, ‘social care’: For individuals with complex medical needs, CHC funding may be available. You can find more information here. However, as we mentioned, there are waiting lists for services, and not all expected services may be available in your area.
- Charities and Organisations: Local charities like Age UK or Carers Trust may offer additional support or advice. Then, there are charities relating to specific situations, like Macmillan Cancer Support.
Do You Need a Referral to Apply for Respite Care in Watford?
If you are seeking funding, then you will need a referral from your GP or hospital team. However, if you are looking for private respite care like we offer here at Home Instead Watford, you just need to call and ask for help.
Our number is 01923 250513.
As we speak, we can guide you through your options and help you with any advice you need.
What Do I Need to Take to Mum and Dad's Emergency Respite Care?
If Mum and Dad are going to residential respite care (in a care facility), they should give you a complete list of the information or items they need. But it’s handy to have easy access to:
- Your referral letter: In most cases, your care home will have received a referral letter, but if paperwork gets delayed, having your own copy to take with you can be helpful.
- Medical Information and Medications: A list of medications, allergies, and medical history may be needed alongside the current medication Mum or Dad have been prescribed.
- Personal Essentials: All of their clothing and toiletries, plus any mobility, reading or hearing aids. You may find access to mobility devices at the care home, but just in case, make sure you have your own ready (and labelled).
- Comfort Items: Books, photos, or familiar objects to ease the transition. Sometimes, care homes allow soft music in personal spaces. By easing Mum or Dad’s transition you will help calm them.
- Care Instructions: Detailed notes about routines, preferences, and dietary needs.
If you are booking a home care option, like Home Instead’s respite care, then aside from knowing where everything is, you won’t need to provide most of this list – we will just need access to it where it is in the home. In our onboarding, we will also discuss medications, medical needs, and dietary and social requirements, and we’d like contact information for family, GPs, and hospital consultants should we need them. But as we say, we will talk through all of this in our call or home visit.
Are There Any Downsides to Emergency Respite Care?
As we were writing this piece, we (as we always do) looked up common questions online, and this was one of them. We thought it might be helpful to weigh in with an answer in the interest of honest transparency.
If you are receiving high-quality emergency respite care in Watford, you should not experience any downsides. Respite care is designed to help your loved one get back on their feet, providing full support to you and the wider family.
However, there are a few situations to consider:
1. Environmental Adjustments: When a loved one is taken out of the home to receive medical or respite care, they may need additional support to cope with change, which can slow recovery rates. This is particularly true if Mum or Dad is suffering from cognitive decline like dementia.
2. People Change: Just as with environmental changes, additional people visiting the home or surrounding your loved one can also be something to adjust to. At Home Instead, we combat this with careful care and professional matching. We find this approach actually has Mum and Dad looking forward to our visits rather than worrying about them.
3. Body Deconditioning: If a loved one is in a setting with limited movement and mobility, they may suffer body deconditioning, which can take time and effort to recover from. To address this, we can action and continue the physiotherapy exercises provided on discharge for maximum recovery during our respite home care. And if these are not provided, we can help chase them up.
4. Planning for What Comes Next: Continuity of care in some circumstances feels like it can drop away quickly. One minute, Mum and Dad have 24-hour help, and then the next minute, they are left alone. At Home Instead Watford, we do things very differently. We always help you plan for what’s next. In some cases, there may be nothing to prepare for; in others, it may be your loved one needing help to keep their home looking and feeling comfortable, or maybe some form of day assistance. We can also be there for clients returning home from a care home respite, so keep our number and call us when you need to.
Local Emergency Respite Care Resources in Watford
Several care homes in the area provide respite care services, including urgent respite care placements where room allows. Check with local providers such as Lancaster Court, Rosslyn Residential Care, Prince Michael of Kent Court, Brunswick Court Care Home, River Court Care Home, The Chase Care Centre and Greenbanks.
Day Care is also possible through facilities like Victoria Day Centre and South Oxhey Day Service.
But if you are looking for in-home respite care or emergency live-in care, we would love for you to call us. We are rated “good” by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) and have several 5-star reviews.