Give a caregiver a break. Put mom in our home.

Respite Care

Years ago, when I was a medical resident and then, later, as faculty, I would face an uncomfortable situation.  The VA hospital had a small emergency room.  Not infrequently, a family would bring the elderly veteran to the ER with a nonspecific complaint.  We would do some tests and, when we went to report our findings, the family was nowhere to be found.  This happened commonly enough that we had a name for it.  We called it a "Pop-drop."

I was very critical of these families.  How could they take a loved one and just leave him for a few days or weeks.  It was cruel.  It was inappropriate.  It was...human.

As they years have gone by, I've discovered that watching over a family member is difficult and, just everybody else, caregivers need a break.

Unfortunately, there aren't many things that people can do.  You can hire an agency care giver for about $20 an hour.  So, that's about $500 a day.  A little pricy for most.  You can get another family member to take your mom or dad.  And, finally, the "Pop-drop;" the senior equivalent of leaving a baby in a basket with a note.  Sadly, these options are quite limited.  If you have another family member who can take over, that's ideal, but given how few people have one dedicated caregiver, the number that have multiple is quite small.

Fortunately, a new option now exists.  Room2Care.com is the leader in Shared Senior Living.  Before going away, take a look at the homes in your area with a host who can care for your loved one.  Let mom and/or dad stay with them for the weekend.  Since these are people living in their homes, they are already there.  You do not need to pay them the exorbitant fees associated with care aids.  These people have been background checked and cleared.  Many have reviews written by or for others who received care.  With all new services, it's a little scary.  Remember how scared you were the first time that you left you child with the babysitter?  Check it out.  When you need a break, dropping mom off at a Room2Care.com community home surely beats leaving her in an emergency room.

Take a look at how Room2care.com views respite care.