- 'Respite' means 'rest, a break or let-up', and many MH carers desperately need a break because:
- They may have had no real break or holiday for years
- Their caring role (in addition to other commitments) is so stressful
- Their physical, mental or emotional health may suffer without it
Carers 'on-call hours' vary greatly, but some are carers-at-home all their waking hours, and providing 'sleep-in cover', continuously, 365 days a year.
The purpose of respite is to provide a recovery time, enabling a person to be more fit and able to continue as a carer.
Some forms of respite:
- At Home (or 'domiciliary') - somebody visits the home, staying with the cared-for person, enabling the carer some time out.
- The cared-for person is taken into care temporarily, to give the carer a break. This may be problematic, as the cared-for person may feel: 'You put me away, for your own comfort'.
- Carer and cared-for person go on a holiday together - arguably not a real break for the carer.
- The cared-for person attends an activity (1-off or regularly), or maybe goes on an outing, short break or holiday, without the carer. Both get a break, and a break from each other.
- The carer identifies their own form of break, and may need help with funding, cover, etc.
It is worth establishing what variation of respite (perhaps not listed above) most suits the carer(s), not the respite provider, as this will give most benefit to the carer(s).
Whose respite is it anyway ?
The arrangement of respite, often paid-for, is a regular result of a Carer Assessment
- Sources of information and help on respite may include:
- Carers Centres - see Services List
- Carers Workers - see Services List
- Carers Support Groups - see Services List
- MH charities and agencies - see Information
- Social Services - Community Mental Health Teams (CMHT's) and the cared-for person's Key Worker, Social Worker (ASW) or Community Psychiatric Nurse (CPN)
- Leaflets about Carers, Assessments, Services for carers - see Publications
- (MH) Help-lines - see the Emergency Helplines
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