A respite stay in an assisted living community could help you and your loved one make an informed decision.
What Is Respite Care?
Respite care is designed to give caregivers a short break, while providing their aging loved one with a new and stimulating environment. A senior can generally stay a few nights or up to one month in an assisted living community.
Some caregivers use respite care when they feel overworked and stressed out and need a short break. Others use it so they can enjoy a vacation without worrying about the senior loved one they are leaving behind.
Respite care can also be used as a “trial run” before a permanent move to assisted living. It can allow you to find out if the community is a good fit for your aging loved one and to be sure they can adapt to life in a senior community.
What Do Seniors Do In Respite Care?
The activities your loved one enjoys in respite care will vary depending on the senior community. In general, they will participate in the same activities as the community’s full-time residents.
They will enjoy meals in the dining room with residents, as well as programs and activities ranging from walks and yoga classes to games and movies.
Best of all, your loved one will get to know the other residents as well as the staff members.
How Respite Care Helps You Choose an Assisted Living Community
No matter how many times you tour a community, it’s hard to know how happy your loved one will be there. By participating in life within the community, making friends with the residents and getting to know the staff, your loved one can decide if they feel at home.
Understand that it could take a few days or weeks for your loved one to adapt to senior living. Once they get past that transition phase, they can decide if they really like the community.
By investing in an extended respite stay of several weeks, you might prevent the costly mistake of moving into the wrong community. Or your loved one may decide that the community they were skeptical of at first is now “home sweet home.”
Moving with Eager Anticipation Instead of Stress
A respite stay carries none of the stress of a regular move, such as packing all your loved one’s belongings and maybe even selling their house. You and your loved one can make the decision about the community without added stress.
On moving day, rather than feeling as if they are venturing into the unknown, your loved one will be excited to get back to the friends and caregivers they know and love.
Let Five Star Help You Make the Move
Thinking about assisted living? Contact us today to schedule respite care for your loved one in a Five Star Community near you.