Residential Respite Care on the Rise at Wesley Mission Queensland

The popularity of residential respite care continues to grow across Australia, perfect for seniors who need a little extra care but are not ready to make the move to permanent residential aged care.

Residential respite care is perfect for families who need a break from caring for elderly loved ones, or for clients who need time to recover from an illness or injury. Residential respite care gives clients the opportunity to stay in a residential aged care community and receive all the benefits that the community provides for a short period of time before returning home.

Madella Ivett came into Wesley Mission Queensland’s Dovetree aged care community in Sinnamon Village on respite when she needed some extra help and her daughter needed to take a break from caring duties.

“My daughter usually helps to look after me, but she had become very busy with work and studying and then she also fell ill and needed to rest,” says Madella. “So we had a look around for a place where I could go and have some respite care, and Dovetree had everything we were looking for.”

Originally Madella came in for two weeks, and then extended her stay for a further two weeks, making her stay a month in total. “It’s been wonderful,” says Madella. “Nothing is too much trouble, there’s always someone around to help you, check up on you, see how you’re doing. I’ve enjoyed the activities that I’ve been able to join in on – they had a concert here the other day, it was fantastic!

“I think, when I go home, I’m going to miss the people the most; there’s always someone stopping at your door to say hello, have a chat, even just to check up on you and see how you’re doing or if you need anything. They’ve been wonderful to me.

“It’s definitely an adjustment and it takes a little time to settle in, but I’m glad I came in. It’s given both me and my daughter a much-needed break, so it’s been very beneficial.”

Jodi O’Neill, Residential Admissions Coordinator, says that there are many benefits to residential aged care respite for people who might be thinking of using the service.

“Respite has the ability to give carers peace of mind knowing that their family member or other loved one is being looked after in a safe, friendly environment when they can’t be there,” she says. “It also gives the client an opportunity to build trust in an environment that they then will feel comfortable returning to in the future for more respite, or even on a permanent basis, if that need should arise.”

Jodi says clients of residential respite care receive the same level of care and service that permanent residents receive. “Each respite client is welcomed in as part of the community, and they get to experience all the same activities and events that residents do,” she says. “They get to structure their days however they see fit – sometimes it even feels like a bit of a holiday!

“The feedback we’ve been receiving from recent respite clients coming into our communities has been overwhelmingly positive. All of our staff endeavour to create a welcoming and meaningful environment through respect and integrity for each visitor, and it makes our jobs worthwhile when we hear clients say that they’ve had a wonderful stay with us.”

Aged care respite is available now at Wesley Mission Queensland

Residential respite is available at all Wesley Mission Queensland’s aged care communities, including their newest community, Dovetree at Sinnamon Village. To find out more or to book a tour, call 1300 268 928.