Your Guide to Planned Respite Care in Watford
Welcome back to the Home Instead Watford blog. In this post, we'll guide you through planned respite care in Watford, what to expect, and what's on offer.
So, What is Planned Respite Care in Watford? And is it Only for the Elderly?
Planned respite care is a service designed to provide short-term care for individuals in instances when we can pre-empt their care requirements. It can be used by anyone who needs home care or their primary carers. For example, if Mum is having a hip operation, then we (Home Instead Watford) can offer respite services. But they don’t have to be considered ‘elderly’ to receive our help! We can also cover your primary caregiving duties while you, the carer, need a break.
Our planned respite care services are carried out in your home, which is the best place to a) recover from an illness or surgery and b) where the caree (Mum or Dad, usually) knows best. No change in environment, no need for upheaval, just simple and easy to get along with home care.
How Planned Respite Care Supports Your Specific Needs
Planned respite care is designed to meet a wide range of needs, including services that cover:
- Personal Care: Discreet assistance with dressing, bathing, nutrition, and exercise.
- Housekeeping: Help with daily chores, including grocery shopping.
- Health and Complex Care: This includes medication management, stoma care, diabetes management, and medical monitoring.
- Overnight Care: Waking night or sleeping night assistance.
- Companionship: To help keep your loved one engaged and stimulated (essential for emotional and mental well-being).
There’s a common misconception that Mum or Dad must be incapable of living independently to receive planned respite care or home care, but that isn’t the case. Our home care was specifically developed to assist them in living life to the fullest. So if they rely on you to help them with the weekly shop, we’ll cover that. We won’t take over; our care professional will simply be there to help lift, reach or remember things.
When it comes to taking care of clients during respite, say after an operation, we take the same approach—we assist with what they can do and cover what they can’t do until they can return to it.
Our client, Janet, recently had a hip operation. During her recovery, she needed 24-hour care, including waking nights. We implemented that to take effect from the moment she was discharged. Janet is a very independent soul. She likes to keep her house looking beautiful and go to the shops to do her own shopping. Knowing all this, we worked with her to include her in all we did during her recovery and switch from respite to housekeeping care for the early stages of being back on her feet. And she excelled in her recovery because she didn’t feel smothered or confined beyond her medical needs. That’s the power of great quality home care: Assistance to help you stay independent.
How and When Do You Need to Book Planned Respite Care? And for How Long?
We advise starting the conversation as soon as you know you have a ‘thing’ coming up. So, if it’s surgery, talk with Mum and Dad about having help while they recover and where that might be best placed depending on the outcome or prognosis. If you need to take a carer’s break, then talk to Mum and Dad about how home help can temporarily cover the things you currently do.
Next, it’s time to talk to your care provider. At Home Instead, we offer a free, no-obligation home visit, which gives you and your loved one a chance to meet us, get a feel for what we do, and make your decision. We can also start to talk about dates where you have them. Of course, we realise things can change, so be aware that we are flexible and will work with you.
We are also flexible about how long you need respite, so whether it’s less than two to six weeks or more than six weeks, we can help. We can also discuss how to taper off respite care or transition to other services if you need them. Again, that planning is totally flexible, so if the prognosis changes, we can adapt to be with you when you need us.
But what can you book planned respite care for?
- So you can take a carer’s holiday or a short trip
- During busy work periods or significant life events
- When you feel you need time to rest and recharge
- If your regular care arrangements are temporarily unavailable
- If your loved one has an operation or treatment planned
Anything you can plan for, basically.
If you need information on emergency respite care, check out our guide here.
Need to book local respite care?
Let’s talk costs: How Much Does Planned Respite Care in Watford Cost?
To help you, we’ve provided as much information below as possible.
Firstly, the NHS can contribute to respite care costs in specific, means-tested circumstances. This often applies to the first six weeks under what the NHS terms ‘reenablement services’. For example, individuals with complex medical needs might qualify for NHS Continuing Healthcare (CHC), which can cover short-term respite care. You may also be eligible for funding for carers following a carer’s assessment. Please be aware that funding can be hard to procure, and social services are often finite.
If social care resources are not available and respite is not in place, this can affect Mum or Dad’s discharge from the hospital, so it’s worth exploring your alternatives. Private respite care, such as Home Instead Watford, can provide a reliable alternative that covers more situations and outcomes.
The cost of private respite care greatly depends on what you need and for how long. You can emailor call us on 01923 250513 to discuss service options and costs specific to your situation. Any advice we offer by phone at the enquiry stage is under no obligation.