Respite care is a great way to offer a break to the caregiver and the care receiver. However, it is also very important to take care of the safety in respite care. While the primary carer is away, the care receiver must be comfortable with the new support person. Some of the ways of ensuring that comfort are discussed here:
- Meet with the substitute caregiver before they start working
- Develop some rapport and connect with them
- If they come home, show them around and explain them the regular routine activities
- If it is center-based, take the NDIS participant and make them comfortable with the new surrounding and people
- Explain the number of days the primary caregiver will be away well in advance
These things will help the person with disability be more comfortable in the absence of their primary caregiver. Now, it is also important to maintain safety during respite care. Following are some NDIS respite care services home safety tips and other suggestions to maintain safety in the respite care accommodation
Maintaining Safety During Respite Care
- Respite Care Home Safety: If you decide for in-home respite care, maintaining comfort in respite can be possible. The support person who comes home in this period must be trained and well-aware of the needs of the NDIS participant. Moreover, they must adapt to the timing and other needs of the household. Also, it is a good idea to check the reviews and get feedback on the respite care service provider. That way, you can be assured that they are good at their job and won’t cause you any problems.
- Respite Care Accommodation Safety: When the NDIS participants choose the center-based respite care option, disability accommodation safety must be kept in mind. Also, you can personally go and check the center to see it has all the necessary arrangements for individuals with disability. You can also see if they follow all the safety standards highlighted by NDIS. They must be clean, hygienic, and have trained professionals.
- Other Tips: Apart from that, you can also check out flexible respite care options. There can be a possibility to have a support person only on the weekends. Alternatively, the NDIS participant can also go for some community activities such as excursions, life skill workshops, or other training programs. With these programs, the primary caregiver can take a break and the receiver can also socialize with other people while being in a safe and comfortable environment.
Final Words
To sum up, keeping respite care safe is a responsibility of the caregiver too. Therefore, keeping all the pointers given above in mind can help in ensuring safety during respite care.