Jan 7, 2015 - âOne summer we arranged respite so that a client's spouse could go ... www.interiorhealth.ca, follow us
Sharing Our Stories Jan. 7, 2015
Care for the Caregiver Respite offers rest and relief A family member acting as caregiver has many responsibilities: Cooking; cleaning; shopping; banking; feeding; dressing; grooming; mobility aid; incontinence care; medication management… the list goes on. Although many families enjoy caring for loved ones, the physical, emotional and financial consequences can be overwhelming without support. Caregivers may neglect their own well-being and that in turn can affect the quality of care they provide. Fortunately, respite care is available to support those caring for loved ones. “Respite is intended for genuine relief of caregiver burden. Interior Health provides a range of services and information on solutions to help lighten the burden,” says Home Health Director Kathy Chouinor. Respite services take many forms: Adult day programs in the community; short stay respite care in residential facilities; some in home services; and hospice palliative care. Sylvia Gandy says her life would be quite different without respite support. She became her husband Bill’s primary caregiver 14 years ago when he had a stroke. “Your life can change in an instant,” says Sylvia. “We were living in Prince George. He was still young and he had always been so active. He was involved in junior hockey and belonged to the Lions, among other things. After the stroke he was just sitting around, which is the worst thing you can do.” Recognizing they needed to make a change the couple moved to Kelowna, where they now benefit from milder weather, Rockets games during hockey season and, most importantly, the Adult Day Services program at the May Bennett Wellness Centre. They had no family in Kelowna when they moved there and little other help. With the support available through the program, Sylvia is now able to maintain her active lifestyle and a busy volunteer schedule. At the same time, the outings provide Bill with an important opportunity to socialize.
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Kelowna Home Health Team Lead Peg Budd says Case Managers often use respite in the home through the home support program to care for clients so that their caregiver can go to their own appointments, do shopping, or have some time for an outing with friends. “One summer we arranged respite so that a client’s spouse could go golfing weekly with his friend, which was key in relieving the caregiver burden he faced every day in caring for his wife with advanced dementia,” she says. “While their caregiver is out, the client benefits from interaction with the Community Health Worker, sometimes receiving a bath, an exercise program, or doing activities together.” “Once we provided a two week respite for a client with dementia in a residential respite bed so that his wife could attend her daughter’s wedding, knowing that he was safe and cared for, when otherwise she would have been unable to attend,” she recalls. In another case, Peg says they provided respite through the Day Program so that the client’s spouse could attend the Caregiver Support group, which helped her cope with the progression of her husband’s illness and supported her in continuing to care for him at home. “Without the program, it would be terrible. Bill goes to the Stroke Recovery Club in Kelowna, but that is only a couple hours each week. The respite program is amazing. He really enjoys it. The staff are great and the food is good,” says Sylvia. “He also gets bathed once a week. I can’t bathe him and he likes to be able to lie back in the tub and relax. They give him a cup of coffee to enjoy. Little things like that are so important.” “I would tell anyone who is thinking about it to try it,” says Sylvia about the respite support available through Adult Day Services. For more information about respite including information about applicable fees please visit Respite Care under Housing & Health at www.interiorhealth.ca. Interior Health is committed to promoting healthy lifestyles and providing a wide range of quality healthcare services to more than 742,000 people living across B.C.’s vast interior. For more information, visit www.interiorhealth.ca, follow us on Twitter @Interior_Health, or like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/interiorhealth.ca. - 30 Photo Caption: Kelowna residents Bill and Syliva Gandy regularly access respite care through the Day Services Program at May Bennett.
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