Why choose respite care stays and how can they help me?
There are so many reasons that people use our respite care services for seniors, whether you need to know your loved one is in safe hands while you relax on holiday, or you’re need of some rest and recuperation to get back on your feet, our flexible and pre-bookable respite care options are tailored to your individual needs.
Sometimes people choose to take advantage of our pre-bookable respite care services, so family carers can go on holiday, knowing their loved ones are in safe hands – Vivienne’s story
When Vivienne and her husband John booked a pre-Christmas holiday, she needed to know her mum, Janet, was being well cared for, with the opportunity to socialise, so she booked a short respite stay at Barony Lodge in Nantwich.
“I knew there would be lots of Christmas activities, so it would be a bit of a holiday for her too. She enjoyed herself and the team were so caring."
Vivienne and John were Janet’s carers, but with John’s diagnosis of Lymphoma, and Janet’s daughter needing support with childcare, Vivienne needed more help.
After two further respite care stays, they all felt ready for Janet to move to Barony Lodge permanently.
“I think I needed that time, as did mum, to make sure she felt settled,” she explains. “Respite gave us both a chance to try the home and I needed time to let go, and now I can relax.”
And for Vivienne, she’s already noticed a dramatic improvement in Janet’s wellbeing.
“When mum lived with us, she would sleep a lot of the time,” she explains. “At Barony Lodge, if she’s not doing activities, she’s watching the interactions and is stimulated. She’s more mobile there because she’s doing their daily exercises, so she’s walking better. Her quality of life is so much better there. She will sit in the garden and chat with people, she will sing along to music, there’s that stimulation."
To find out more about our respite care services for seniors, our Enquiry Support Team are here to help on free-phone 0800 331 7425.
Respite care stays for rest and recuperation – meet Edna
When Edna faced six weeks of grueling cancer treatment, she was scared to return home between hospital appointments, so booked an extended respite care stay at our Dalby Court home in Middlesbrough.
“It was the best decision I could have made,” explains Edna. “All the staff were so supportive and kind, that my stay was like being on holiday. The team all helped me face the treatment with kindness and positivity – they were there in the dark days, with sympathy and cups of tea and helped me through it.”
For Edna, not only did her temporary respite care stay help her regain her strength, the team gave her care when she needed it most.
“I will miss all of them and thank them for a lovely stay, and for their friendship – I love them all,” she adds.
Our flexible respite care stays can also help during an unexpected emergency – we talk to Margaret
Margaret and her sister cared for their mother, Anne, for several years following a stroke. When electrical works needed doing at Anne’s house, they took advantage of the care home respite services at our Yarnton home in Oxfordshire, so Anne didn’t have to face the disruption.
“We put our trust in them, and they looked after her beautifully,” Margaret explains.
“Yarnton totally changed our perception of care homes. It’s like walking into someone’s living room, with some lovely characters who you can sit and chat to, it’s a very homely environment.”
After returning home, they were surprised with how big an impression the home and team had made.
“It sounds silly, but we got quite upset because we had got so attached to everybody at Yarnton,” says Margaret. So much so that Anne is now moving in permanently.
“The thought of a mum going to a care home had never entered my head as we were able to care for her, so thought we will do this until it becomes too much. It wasn’t until mum had been in respite that we realised how much we’d been doing.
“At Yarnton she could have 24-hour care in a lovely environment, where I could visit two or three times a day if I wanted to, it was a no brainer.
“We’d never thought of putting mum into respite care, but it was the decision for us as a family and for my mum.”
What do I do if I’m looking for respite care near me?
Whether you are looking for a respite care stay for yourself or a loved one, our Enquiry Support Team are here to help, on free-phone 0800 331 7425.
