Feeling a little overwhelmed with the care of a loved one? St Louis will help you organise respite care
If you are caring for a parent or another loved one, it’s natural to occasionally feel overwhelmed and need some extra support. Looking after your own wellbeing so you can continue providing the level of care you’re happy with is necessary to keep going.
If you need some extra support, there is trusted help that you can reach out to with St Louis’ respite care program in Adelaide. It will give you some time out, whether it’s for one night or longer.
In Australia, there are more than 2.6 million unpaid carers in the community, saving the government more than $60 million annually in funding care. The average age of unpaid carers is 55 years old, even though they can be anywhere between 15-64 years old and more than 50% are working. The majority of unpaid carers in our community are managing several responsibilities.
Anyone who cares for another will understand carers’ fatigue, and at times caregiver guilt.
No-one wants to feel they are not doing their very best for a loved one, but there are times when juggling work, family, your own commitments as well as those of a loved relying on you for care, can be overwhelming for anyone.
Signs that you might need some respite care from time to time
Here are some tell-tale signs that indicate you might need to occasionally step back and let someone else help you with the care of your loved one. Caregiver burnout is not uncommon, so preventing this by being aware of the signs is a favour to both yourself and the loved one you are caring for.
- You don’t have the energy you used to have when you started providing the care
- You cannot relax even when there is nothing to do
- You feel tired for no apparent reason, even when you have slept well, or you can’t sleep well most nights
- You are more irritable and impatient than usual
- Your life starts to revolve around the care you are providing and everything has to fit in with this
- You’ve noticed you are getting irritable with the person you are caring for
- Your immune system feels compromised and you are catching bugs more frequently
- You are increasing your dependence on substances like alcohol or sleep medication
- You may be losing interest in things you used to enjoy
This particular study of carers in the community found that people did not access respite care for the following reasons.
Top 3 reasons for not using respite
- I don’t know where or how to access it - 30%
- I can’t find anything that suits the needs of the person I care for - 18%
- I can’t afford it - 15%
If they could access it, these are the main reasons why.
Top 3 main purposes of respite care
- It gives carers a break from their caring responsibilities 84%
- It gives carers an opportunity to look after their own health and wellbeing 76%
- It helps carers sustain their caring role 68%
St Louis provide respite care across Adelaide and at our nursing home
St Louis is here to help you with the care of your loved one. Respite care is offered through:
Residential overnight – in our nursing home as a residential live in service. You can access 63 days a year of respite care through My Aged Care Respite Services. Our residence is in Parkside and has 24 x 7 nurses and carers, and your loved one will be treated like one of the family, with access to podiatry and other allied health services as well as our social and lifestyle activities.
Home care package – you can allocate a portion of your home care package if you think you may be need it through the year.
Private respite care – if you have neither of the above but need some help at home, we offer private respite services as well.
Call the team at St Louis Aged Care to have a confidential conversation about your respite care needs in Adelaide or Victor Harbor on 8272 3344. Look after your own health wellbeing and you will be able to better care for your loved one.
