Short term aged care comes in many forms. From in-home respite to dedicated, around the clock care, short-term aged care is aimed at improving the quality of life and health outcomes for your loved one. These services can be particularly useful when a traumatic event has occurred which has affected their physical or mental wellbeing.
Back To Basics
Traumatic events affect each person differently. Where some are able to recover quickly and channel any lingering sadness or anxiety into other activities or parts of their life, others take time and great amounts of care to get back to feeling their best. Respite care can be of great help to the second group of people – helping them get through basic daily activities in order to restore a sense of equilibrium.
Respite care can encompass any number of tasks or duties, including nursing, household chores, cooking and even full-time care. The goal of quality respite care is to return the quality of life to the individual so that they’re more able to enjoy their everyday life without extra stressors and unnecessary angst.
Carers Need A Holiday Too
Full-time carers of older loved ones need a break too. Traumatic events affect carers – especially if the event is related to a common family member.
In difficult moments such as these, it can be hard for the carer to provide the necessary support to their loved one while also practising good self-care habits. It might be necessary for the carer to arrange a short holiday or break from caring and organise alternative care arrangements for their loved one.
In this situation, short-term aged care can be very beneficial for all parties. The carer gets to focus on their own physical and mental well-being, while their loved one gets the dedicated care and attention of focused aged care professionals. This change of routine and scenery can help the healing process and provide new and stimulating friendships too.
Encouraging new friendships and connections is an important part of healthy ageing. Loneliness and isolation are growing problems which can be effectively managed by ensuring that any care plan has opportunities for social interaction and reflection.
Image via www.thinkstockphotos.comSmooth Transitions
Short term aged care can also be an ideal way to help transition your loved one into full-time care. When circumstances change with time, it’s a good idea to re-evaluate the care plan and approach for your loved one. When traumatic events occur, plans can shift, and even the most well-intentioned and carried out plan can seem like it’s no longer adequate.
Short term aged care can provide a chance for your loved one to test out a new mode of care and provide you with critical feedback. It can also give you a chance to better understand the processes of full-time care, and to explore the types of activities and services that full-time care provides.
Day By Day
Day respite is another short-term aged care option which can be utilised for multiple reasons. Day respite can provide your loved one with extra care and attention on special occasions, such as organised excursions and activities. Day respite can help to alleviate isolation by providing an occasional social outlet – especially as it can encourage friendships with people of a similar age or outlook.
Another benefit to this method of care is its cost efficiency. Many day respite programs are funded by government bodies in order to encourage a better quality of life in older age – it can be a good idea to get in contact with your local government to find out if your loved one is eligible.
Short term aged care can be provided to older loved ones for many different reasons. For those suffering from trauma, it can be especially hard to perform normal tasks, and the extra care and attention provided by short-term aged care can be the difference between a healthy, happy outlook, and a bout of serious depression or ill-health.
