Study: Respite Care Critically Needed for Alzheimer Caregivers

A University of Delaware study has found a critical need for respite care for families caring for an Alzheimer's patient or someone with other severe disabilities.

The study found that many caregivers face health and emotional problems of their own as a result of the stress involved in full-time care giving, and noted that access to cost-effective respite care is extremely limited in the United States.

Timothy Brooks, a retired University of Delaware administrator who headed the study task force, said inadequate respite care is a problem everywhere -- even in states that have provided significant support to it in the past. "It is still an area in which the need grows exponentially," he added.

The study said the benefits of respite care are obvious. Supporting families who provide care at home is cost-efffective as well as humane and families receiving respite care are less likely to admit a family member to a residential placement at public expense. Respite care also reduces the risk of abuse or neglect of the person being cared for.

The task force spent one year examining how respite care is provided in Delaware and other states. Many of the task force members were caregivers.

The study emphasized that respite care is an essential family support and noted that without it, families and caregivers suffer from extreme stress and may develop their own health-related issues.

Other sources: University of Delaware