What is Respite Care?

Vitally, respite care gives carers a break from their duties. It’s usually a temporary measure, but respite care can also be a good option for families looking to move their loved one into a care home on a long-term basis, as it helps to ease the transition.

Why is Respite Care Important?

Respite care gives carers the option to take a holiday or just have a rest, whilst knowing their loved ones are in a safe, comfortable facility, with access to top-tier professional care. For instance, our care homes offer short-term respite care stays for individuals who may not need full-time care on an ongoing basis — they could be recovering from an illness, in rehabilitation after surgery, or just keen to give their carers some time off. 

Our short-term residents have access to all the same daily activities and fantastic facilities as our permanent residents, and we often find that visiting residents come back to Danforth homes again and again. If you’re considering moving your loved into full-time care, a brief stint can also be an excellent opportunity to trial the environment and see how they respond to it.

The Benefits of Respite Care

Full-time caregivers often feel conflicted about making use of respite care facilities, but Danforth Care offers many benefits for short-term residents to enjoy, which should make the decision a little easier.

Socialising and Building a Community

One big advantage of respite care is that it provides your loved one with the chance to meet other people of a similar age, often in similar circumstances, and build a whole new community of friends and acquaintances. Not to mention, there are plenty of exciting and enjoyable activities on offer in our care homes, including everything from crafts and cinema screenings to planned excursions. 

A Safe and Supportive Environment 

You can also rest easy in the certainty that you’re leaving the individual you care for in a comfortable place, where their wellbeing is both prioritised and monitored by staff. Whether it be medical care, emotional support, or logistical and administrative help, we pride ourselves in enhancing the wellbeing of our short-term residents. 

Specialist Care from Trained Staff

Another real advantage of respite care is that your loved one will have on-site access to a high- standard of care provided by professionals, including specialist medical care that goes beyond what can be given at home. Our teams undergo lengthy training to ensure that the quality of service we provide is consistent and reliable. 

Homecooked Nutritional Meals 

Danforth Care kitchens serve a range of freshly made nutritious meals every day, using locally sourced ingredients, and will happily factor in specific dietary requirements wherever needed. Not only is our delicious food a real treat for our residents, but it gives carers a much-needed break from cooking and preparing meals too.

Our Respite Care Approach

We take a comprehensive approach to respite care; our homes are newly built and thoughtfully furnished to a beautiful standard, to make both our temporary and long-term residents as comfortable and content as possible. Every Danforth Care home offers a wide range of facilities on site, including idyllic grounds to explore on foot, games rooms and quiet reading nooks to enjoy. 

We know there can be some initial resistance to short-term stays, so we try to minimise disruption, and pay particular attention to getting your loved ones feeling settled as soon as possible. With this compassionate, attentive approach to respite care and our state-of-the-art facilities, we aim to give short-term residents a delightful home away from home.