Respite Vital For Health of Family Caregivers

Everyone needs a break, especially family caregivers. Approximately 65 million people across the country provide care for a chronically ill, disabled or aged family member or friend each year. More than 1.7 million of these family caregivers live here in Florida.

 

These individuals provide 80 percent of long-term care needs in the United States, playing an incredibly important role in the health care continuum. Family caregivers are often responsible for ensuring their loved ones make it to doctors’ appointments, comply with medications, and follow other physician recommendations.

 

Their ability to shoulder caregiving responsibilities is greatly compromised when they ignore their own health and wellness needs. According to the American Psychological Association’s 2011 Stress in America™ survey, caregivers are more likely to say that their health is fair or poor and are also significantly more likely to cite personal health concerns as a source of stress.

That’s why it is important for health care providers to factor caregiver health into their patient’s care plan.

 

Respite is time taken by a caregiver to rest and recharge. It is short-term relief that provides a break from the extraordinary demands they face. Studies show that respite helps avoid caregiver burnout, allowing them to keep their loved ones at home for longer periods of time. It reduces family stress and increases feelings of well-being, while enhancing a family’s coping abilities. Ultimately, respite care saves public funds by reducing ER and hospital visits and the need for institutional care.

 

Unfortunately, according to a report from AARP and the National Alliance for Caregiving, nearly 90 percent of family caregivers do not use respite services. Caregivers often feel guilty leaving their loved one in the care of someone else or they do not trust others to do the job well enough. Other barriers to respite care include cost, eligibility criteria and waiting lists for publicly-funded programs, and lack of caregiver awareness.

 

Unpaid respite care may be provided by family members, friends and volunteers, while paid respite care is available through home health agencies, like United HomeCare, adult day care centers, and temporary stays at a residential care facility.

           

Respite care is generally not covered by insurance or Medicare, so many families pay for it out-of-pocket. For individuals who qualify, there are also state and community programs that provide respite services. Here are some examples.

 

• The National Family Caregiver Support Program – Funded by the federal Older Americans Act, the NFCSP helps persons any age who serve as unpaid caregivers for persons sixty or older. The program assists families who are economically or socially needy, but low income is not an eligibility requirement for service. There is no charge for services to caregivers of older persons or grandchildren. For more information, visit the U.S. Administration on Aging at www.aoa.gov.

 

• Respite for Elders Living in Everyday Families – The RELIEF Program offers in-home respite that is an expansion of respite currently available through other programs, including evening and weekend respite. Visit www.allianceforaging.org for more information.

 

• Community Care For The Elderly (CCE) – A state-funded program, CCE assists functionally-impaired elderly persons to remain in their homes or the home of a caregiver. Recipients of this program receive case management and a variety of the services, including respite care for family caregivers. United HomeCare is Miami’s largest CCE provider. Contact (305) 716-0710 or visit www.unitedhomecare.com for more information.

 

• Aged/Disabled Medicaid Waiver – This program uses state and federal Medicaid funds to provide home and community based services to frail elders or disabled adults who are at risk of going into a nursing home. Participants must meet functional and financial criteria. Call the Elder Helpline at (305) 670-4357 or toll free at 1-800-96-ELDER (35337) for information.

 

South Florida health professionals faced with a frazzled family caregiver or someone believed to be at risk of burnout, can refer these individuals to the Caregiver Resource Center at United HomeCare. The center provides a rich offering of information resources and community referrals and serves as a calm haven of respite for family caregivers. Located at 8400 NW 33rd Street on the fourth floor, the center is open Monday through Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Visit www.unitedhomecare.com or call (305) 716-0710 for more information.