Caregivers also need rest: Understanding respite services
People who provide long-term care for older adults at home also need time to take a break. Respite services temporarily take over for caregivers, allowing them to rest for a few hours or a few days. Family members, friends, and community organizations may all offer help. A short weekly break helps caregivers stay in good condition.
Machine translation of our Chinese article, without human translation review. Suggestions concerning China remain specific to China.
Chinese fact summaries and suggestions for China (not a full translation)
Original: Healthy Habits: Caring for Yourself When Caring for Another | Caregiving | CDC · Original language: en
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Facts from the sources
Informal or unpaid caregivers (family members or friends) are the main providers of long-term care at home. View source
Respite services can give caregivers time to rest from caregiving responsibilities. View source
Caregivers may receive support from family and friends, nonprofit organizations, and government agencies, thereby obtaining respite. View source
Types of respite services include in-home services, adult day care, and short-term nursing home care. View source
Even just a few hours of respite each week can improve caregivers' well-being. View source
Caregivers can tell their doctor about their caregiving role, and the doctor may know of helpful support groups. View source
For older people and families
People who care for older adults should also leave rest time for themselves; this is not being lazy.
You can ask relatives, neighbors, or friends to help watch over the older adult for a few hours while you go out for a walk.
Ask the community or street office whether there are temporary elder care or in-home care services.
If the older adult goes to adult day care, you can rest during the day.
Tell the doctor about the difficulties you encounter in caregiving; the doctor may know groups that can help you.
Even a short rest time can improve your mood.
See what care and community teams can do
When introducing respite services to caregivers, the types of services should be explained: in-home assistance, daytime care, and short-term admission to a facility.
Before providing respite services, the older adult's physical condition and care needs must be assessed, and a service agreement must be signed.
Staff should receive basic care training and understand emergency response procedures.
Street offices or communities can connect with nonprofit organizations and government resources to establish a referral list for respite services.
When providing counseling to caregivers, their burden and the support available from family and friends should be understood.
Establishing a respite service program requires clarifying conditions such as time periods, staffing ratios, costs, and subsidies.
It is recommended to regularly collect caregiver feedback to assess whether the service truly relieves stress.
What needs local assessment
The above content is compiled based on the relevant situation in the United States. For the specific forms, application requirements, and costs of respite services in China, please consult your local community or civil affairs department. Medical and nursing services should be implemented by professionals after assessing the older adult's condition; do not judge on your own. Fact source: U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Source: CDC). The original materials are freely available on the CDC website. This site and the localization suggestions do not represent endorsement by CDC, HHS, or the U.S. government; no images or logos have been reproduced.
Sources
U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)Was this article helpful?
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