Respite Service Offers Care For Carers

Braemar Presbyterian Care’s short-stay respite care services are designed to help carers in their support of relatives or loved ones, who need to take some time away in the short term.

These services offer people providing every-day care to a loved one, an opportunity to rejuvenate, while offering peace of mind that quality care support is available to their loved one.

Braemar’s short-stay service allows a person providing care to attend unplanned or last minute events, support them if they are unwell or even allow for a last minute short holiday.

Braemar’s CEO Wayne Belcher said that respite services offer support to everyday people doing very important work in the community.

“Much of the care that is provided to the elderly in WA is provided by family members. When an ageing loved one is living at home, full time carers can be a daughter, son, wife or husband,” Mr. Belcher said.

“Our respite service is designed to help that loved one take a little bit of time to recharge, rejuvenate and relax safe in the knowledge that the person they are caring for is being well looked after in a caring, friendly environment.”

With short-stay respite services currently available at Braemar Cooinda – a 108 bed hotel-style residence in the City of Melville – Braemar’s approach is tailored to those seeking unplanned (or last minute) respite needs. It sees the individual care requirements of the respite resident taken into account, offering the elderly person an opportunity to participate in the lifestyle and enrichment activities at Braemar.

Independent dementia consultant Michelle Harris-Allsop of Care Partnerships Australia has reviewed Braemar Cooinda’s offering, and said that caring for an elderly relative, particularly if they have a diagnosis of dementia, requires a person-centred approach, something that Braemar is skilled at providing.

“In my experience, working with people living with a diagnosis of Dementia, the negative impact is often on their social needs, physical health, emotional needs, wellbeing, and relationships,” Ms, Harris-Allsop said.

“The strain for family carers cannot be underestimated. Carers are exceptionally valuable, and a solution such as Braemar’s short-stay service can offer some valuable time for that carer.”

To learn more about short-stay respite care or the costs involved, Braemar Presbyterian Care provides a dedicated admissions specialist. Braemar was founded in 1952 offering Care and Friendship to the elderly in Perth’s Southern Suburbs. Today it cares for over 220 residents in a residential aged care setting.