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A-san and her husband's family are providing care for her in-laws. Recently, she has felt that her in-laws' caregiving needs are increasing. Her mother-in-law has cognitive abilities but requires medical attention, while her father-in-law is physically healthy but experiencing cognitive decline. Supporting them at home with home support services, A-san's husband, his siblings, and A-san herself all have jobs and households to manage, making it quite challenging. However, her in-laws resist moving to a facility, so this situation will likely continue for a while.
This time, we will introduce services that can be used by family caregivers to take breaks and have some personal time: Adult Day Services and Respite Care.
Adult Day Services
Adult Day Services typically involve family members bringing the individual to a designated location via services like HandyDart, a bus service that comes to the home. Some places also offer weekend Adult Day Services, but usually, they operate on weekdays from 10 AM to 2 PM. At these centers, participants engage in group activities with other service users, have lunch together, and participate in seasonal events. The cost is $10 per day in the Vancouver Coastal Health area.
Respite Care
While Adult Day Services are for daily visits, Respite Care involves staying overnight at a facility to receive care. One can stay for up to 30 days per year at facilities offering Respite Care. This can be taken in segments rather than all at once. During their stay, individuals receive 24-hour nursing and caregiving, relieving family members of caregiving duties. Since Respite Care is often provided by Long-term care facilities, residents can participate in facility activities and socialize with other residents. The basic daily rate for the 2024 fiscal year is $46.59. Additional costs may apply for medications, salon services, etc.
Before utilizing Adult Day Services or Respite Care, clients must undergo an assessment by a Case Manager from Home and Community Services to ensure they meet the eligibility criteria.
Caring for family members often means personal needs take a backseat, leading to increased stress. It's important to take breaks using services like Adult Day and Respite Care to ensure moments of rest.
Lastly, here's an introduction to a product: DIY dentures. During a support group discussion, the topic of dentures came up. Dentures, whether partial or full, can be expensive. Participants mentioned a DIY denture kit available online at Amazon. If these DIY dentures provide good comfort, they could be a viable alternative.
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