Organising friends and family to help

Respite help from friends and family

Does the person you’re caring for have any other relatives or friends who might be willing to share caring responsibilities with you? Maybe they could take on caring duties for a regular day a week? Or for a week or two while you go on holiday?

This could be an opportunity for you and the person you care for to take a break from one another, and for them to spend quality time with other friends or family members.

Friends and family might temporarily move into the cared-for person’s house or invite them to visit for a short period. If the person you usually care for is considering staying somewhere else, there are a few things to consider:

• Is the property they plan to stay at suitable for their needs? For example, if they have mobility difficulties will they be able to access the property and get around?
• Will they be able to sleep on the ground floor or get upstairs?
• How easy will it be for them to use the bathroom? How will they get there and back?
• Will they be able to access all the medicines and medical supplies that they need?

Make sure they take adequate supplies or the person looking after them knows where to get them.

If you plan to ask another family member or a friend to share caring responsibilities, make sure that the person needing care is willing to accept the arrangements. Is there one family member that they would prefer to stay with than another?