Many people across the country provide care for their loved ones on an unpaid voluntary basis. But what happens when family carers need to take a short break for themselves?
More and more of us have taken on additional caring responsibilities for loved ones in recent years. Whether they are struggling with mobility issues in old age or in need of extra assistance following an injury or disability, some of those closest to us rely on different levels of support in their daily lives.
Why people provide unpaid care
Family members often provide care out of love and compassion, but also through a sense of duty to ensure their loved ones are properly looked after. Providing care has been particularly difficult in recent years, however, as the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted how we approach one another.
With the effects of the pandemic largely subsiding now, it’s becoming a little easier for family carers to better support their loved ones. Unpaid carers face a new challenge though – knowing when to look after themselves. Everyone needs to take some time for themselves every once in a while, but carers in need of a break often feel deterred because of their responsibilities.
It’s important for voluntary carers – whether friend or family – to look after their own physical and mental health too. After all, how can you support somebody else if you’re not feeling right in yourself?
Whether it’s the odd day off or a far-flung holiday, if you need to take a break from your usual care duties, you’ll want to ensure you can find suitable care cover for your loved ones. This is where respite care service from SureCare can offer you a helping hand.
What is respite care?
At SureCare, we operate teams of professional home care workers right across the country. Our gentle and friendly approach allows us to provide flexible levels of quality care for people in the comfort of their own homes. With regular domiciliary care and live-in care available, we can support those most in need of assistance every day.
With a wealth of care expertise behind us, we can also offer our help on a temporary basis to provide cover for those times when someone’s usual carer is unavailable. This allows us to step in and provide effective continuity of care while a regular caregiver takes a break.
Initially, we’ll meet with both the person receiving care and their regular carer to get to know them, understand their rhythms, routines and preferences. This way we can ensure that the right level of essential quality care is appropriately delivered, despite the regular carer’s absence.
By providing this respite for unpaid family carers, SureCare aims to support both service users and caregivers. Whether a carer needs an afternoon off to deal with errands or a short holiday away to rest and recuperate, our care workers offer flexible respite packages for short-term home care of any duration.
Can I arrange for respite care straight away?
As more and more people are choosing to receive care in the comfort of their own homes, home care services are in incredibly high demand at the moment. This means it may be quite difficult to find respite care availability at a moment’s notice. However, your local care team will be happy to discuss your needs with you at any time.
If you know you have a holiday coming up, it is often a good idea to seek out respite care services ahead of time. Not only does this give you a better chance to secure available care for when you need it, but it also allows our care workers to get to know you and your specific care needs in preparation for the duration of your requested service.
SureCare operates teams of care workers nationwide, each serving addresses within their own catchment areas. You can get in touch with your local SureCare team to find out more about availability for respite care and discuss your short- or long-term care requirements.
We’re committed to respite care as a useful resource to care for both the individual needing support and their unpaid regular carer. Providing continuity of care is one thing, but respite services also benefit family members, friends and volunteers in helping them take care of their own physical and mental wellbeing by taking a much-needed break every once in a while.
Find your nearest SureCare team from our Find A Branch page and get in touch. Our friendly teams nationwide are dedicated to helping you get the right service you need by discussing your requirements for respite home care.