Even though many families take great joy in providing care to their loved ones so that they can remain at home the physical, emotional and financial consequences for the family caregiver can be overwhelming without some support, such as respite. Personal respite care provides the much needed temporary break from the often exhausting challenges faced by the family caregiver.

Elderly Respite Care is the service most often requested by family caregivers, yet it is in critically short supply, inaccessible, or unaffordable regardless of the age or disability of the individual needing assistance. While the focus has been on making sure families have the option of providing care at home, little attention has been paid to the needs of the family caregivers who make this possible.

Close to 80% of all long-term care is now provided at home by family caregivers to children and adults with serious conditions, including mental health issues, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, multiple sclerosis, traumatic brain injury, cancer, paralysis, developmental and physical disabilities, cognitive impairments and Alzheimer's disease. Parents and family caregivers are the backbone of the long-term care system and save governments billions of dollars annually.

Research has shown that providing respite can have a positive effect on the health of the primary caregiver.
Without nursing respite care, not only can families suffer economically and emotionally, caregivers themselves may face serious health and social risks as a result of stress associated with continuous caregiving. 
Respite has been shown to help sustain family caregiver health and wellbeing, avoid or delay out-of-home placements, and reduce the likelihood of abuse and neglect. Some studies that respite may also reduce the likelihood of divorce and help sustain marriages.

Two commonly used types of respite care are Respite home health care and respite home care.
Respite Home Health Care provides medical services in the patient's own home. This service may include a combination of professional health care services and life assistance services.
Professional Home Health Care services can include medical or psychological assessment, wound care, medication teaching, pain management, disease education and management, physical therapy, speech therapy, and occupational therapy.

Life assistance services include help with daily tasks such as Meal Preparation, Medication reminders, Laundry, Light Housekeeping, Errands, Shopping, Transportation, assistance with Home Health Care equipment, and Companionship. Activities of daily living (ADL) refers to six activities (bathing, dressing, transferring, using the toilet, eating, and walking) that reflect the patient's capacity for self-care.

Respite Home Care is the non-medical form of respite care and is focused only on the life assistance services. It is designed for those who do not need constant medical care.

Noble Home Health Care is a proud member of the San Diego Respite Care community and we are committed to offering quality respite care, adult respite care, and dementia respite care services. If you would like more information on current San Diego County Respite Care practices, or would like to schedule a Home Health Care Assessment to best determine whether it is the right choice for you, please contact Noble Home Health Care for all your respite care San Diego and North County Respite Care needs.