What Is A Respite House?
The idea & development of a respite house grew out of the belief that sometimes caregivers themselves need some care.
Respite houses and respite care offer support for those who provide daily caretaking duties to a family member. Taking respite is something that can be done on a daily, weekly or monthly basis.
Respite House Relief
The bottom line is that people have a chance to take a well-earned break from their caregiver duties.
Respite houses such as the by Hope Grows offer a place to meet with fellow caregivers and talk about any issues with a caring and understanding staff.
Need For Respite Care
An estimated 50 million people around the country provide caregiver services. They not only make a difference in the quality of life for a loved one, but also make a significant impact on the nation’s overall economic well-being.
For example, caregivers reduce the number of hospital and doctor visits for the ones they care for, coordinate much of their health-related needs and along the way save the healthcare system hundreds of billions of dollars.
Of course, this also takes a toll on the caregiver. Many must balance providing care and a full-time job. Some face health and financial issues of their own.
The need to provide them respite from their work is what gave birth to respite houses.
Hope Grows Mission
Hope Grows began to offer caregivers a respite from the “physical, psychological and spiritual stress associated with the role of providing care.”
The organization has staff and volunteers who offer caregivers personal assistance, therapeutic services and resources they need, no matter the state of their finances. Hope Grows also offers a peaceful place to rest and the opportunity to engage in such spirit-lifting activities as working in a garden.
In doing so, Hope Grows continues a long tradition of respite houses and respite care. The idea has grown in popularity over the years as many studies have shown that respite care can provide welcome relief and improve the physical and mental state of the caregiver.
As noted by the AARP, even a break of a few hours every so often can prove helpful. However, the best approach is to plan regular times for respite care, making it part of your routine. That can help caregiving from becoming too overwhelming.
Caregivers are one of the great treasures in this country. Respite care, and respite houses, are there to provide them the attention, care and spiritual rejuvenation they both need and deserve.