respite care | Secure Healthcare Solutions

Respite care is there to help family members or caregivers when they need a break from the demands of looking after a sick or disabled family member. Whether you are looking for respite care in your own home or at a day-care centre, respite can be organised in advance or in an emergency should you really need it. The whole idea of respite is to reduce the burden you have on caregiving and to allow you a much-needed break to rest up, clear your mind before going again.

Why Is Respite So Important

You should never feel guilty when considering respite care. Caring for another person is a big job and often has an effect on your own health, social life as well as your home life. By taking a necessary break you will not only benefit from resting an coming back stronger but also reduce the stress and burden that you take on.

Below are three reasons respite care is vital:

It allows you to rest

As mentioned above, caring for another person is very full-on and requires your attention 24/7. This can be draining and cause you to burn out. And let’s face it, what sort of help will you be if you are feeling run down and exhausted? Respite care is there to give you a much-needed break. You can relax knowing that your loved one is being looked after by a professional. It allows you to have a period of time where you can focus on yourself and your wellbeing. You can spend time with your loved ones, meet up with friends and forget about your day to day stresses at home. Just like at work a break is what you need to regain your motivation. It will allow you to refocus and be on top of your game on your return.

Maintain Or Rekindle Your Hobbies And Interests

In not uncommon to hear from caregivers that they have stopped doing what they enjoy in life to look after a loved one. Respite can be a great opportunity to go out there and do the things you enjoy. Even if it’s for a few days, it can be really nice to pick up a racket and place tennis again or go to the beach and read your favourite book. As important as caregiving is, you should never forget how important your own hobbies and interests are.

Photo by Gustavo Fring from Pexels

Go on Holiday

Forgetting about your day to day worries of caring is important for your mental health. The best way to relax is to go away for a week. You will take a break from your duties as a caregiver. Respite allows you to get away and spend time with your family on a holiday. You will rest up and come back ready to take on your duties again but with additional motivation from your break.

Respite can be good for the person you are caring for

By getting respite care, it doesn’t only benefit you. Respite can be beneficial for the person your caring for too. They will receive professional help and it can be a change of scenery for them. They will get the undivided attention of a new person with who they can interact and get to know. This can be a much-needed break for both of you, allowing you to rest up ready for your return.

There are many reasons that respite care can be extremely beneficial. If you are looking for respite care in your area, please get in touch today as we would love to help you. We have Respite Care in West Midlands, Wolverhampton and the surrounding areas that we can assist with.

What is Hypotention ?

Doctors measure blood pressure using two numbers – the first and higher of the two is called the systolic blood pressure, and it occurs when the heart beats and fills the arteries of the body with blood. The lower number is called the diastolic blood pressure, and it’s the pressure in the heart when it rests between heartbeats. A normal blood pressure is said to be in the region of 120/80mmHg (systolic/diastolic) and doctors spend a lot of time dealing with people with high blood pressure. Use a blood pressure chart to see what your blood pressure means.

Low blood pressure (hypotension) on the other hand often requires no treatment but elderly people in particular can find it a problem, especially when standing up from sitting or lying down. In general terms, the medical advice is that the lower the blood pressure the better, and for most people their blood pressure rarely falls below 90/60.

Recognition

However, low blood pressure can sometimes mean there’s not enough blood flowing to your brain and other vital organs, which can lead to symptoms such as:

dizziness or lightheadedness
unsteadiness
fainting
blurred vision
heartbeats that suddenly become more noticeable (palpitations)
confusion
feeling sick (nausea)
general weakness

What to do if you have symptoms

If you think you may be experiencing an episode of low blood pressure, you should:

stop what you’re doing
sit or lie down
drink some water

The symptoms will usually pass after a few seconds or minutes.

When to see your GP

You should see your GP if you have frequent symptoms of low blood pressure. Your GP can measure your blood pressure and help identify any underlying causes of the problem. Read more about diagnosing low blood pressure.

Low blood pressure after suddenly standing up

If you experience symptoms of low pressure after changing positions, such as standing up, it’s known as postural, or orthostatic, hypotension. Symptoms shouldn’t last longer than a few seconds, as your blood pressure will adjust to your new position. This type of low blood pressure tends to affect people more as they get older, when it can lead to more frequent falls. Similar symptoms may also occur after exercise.

Low blood pressure after eating

If you experience symptoms after eating, it’s known as postprandial hypotension. It occurs more often in older people, particularly in those who have high blood pressure or conditions such as Parkinson’s disease and diabetes mellitus. After a meal, your intestines need a large amount of blood for digestion. If your heart rate doesn’t increase enough to maintain blood pressure, your blood pressure will fall, causing symptoms.

Low blood pressure after standing for long periods

Some people experience symptoms after standing up for long periods of time. This is sometimes known as neutrally mediated hypotension, and most often affects children and young adults.

What is Hypotention ?

Recognition

However, low blood pressure can sometimes mean there’s not enough blood flowing to your brain and other vital organs, which can lead to symptoms such as:

dizziness or lightheadedness
unsteadiness
fainting
blurred vision
heartbeats that suddenly become more noticeable (palpitations)
confusion
feeling sick (nausea)
general weakness

What to do if you have symptoms

If you think you may be experiencing an episode of low blood pressure, you should:

stop what you’re doing
sit or lie down
drink some water

The symptoms will usually pass after a few seconds or minutes.

When to see your GP

Low blood pressure after suddenly standing up

Low blood pressure after eating

Low blood pressure after standing for long periods

Some people experience symptoms after standing up for long periods of time. This is sometimes known as neutrally mediated hypotension, and most often affects children and young adults.

What is the DBS?

The Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) helps healthcare employers make safer recruitment decisions and prevent unsuitable candidates from working with vulnerable groups, including children and elderly . It replaces the Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) and Independent Safeguarding Authority (ISA).

For those posts that involve a greater degree of contact with children or vulnerable adults, ie the type of work that involves regularly caring for, supervising, training or being in sole charge of such people, candidates will require an enhanced DBS check.

If I have a criminal conviction, can I still be employed?

This will depend on whether your offence is considered to make you unsuitable to have access to patients. We conduct a greater level of checks on staff who work with certain patient groups, such as children and vulnerable adults. We will however consider a range of factors before making our decision to appoint -the nature of the offence -the age at which it was committed – its relevance to the post in question – whether the applicant has a pattern of offending behaviour – whether the applicants circumstances have changed since the offending behaviour – the circumstances surrounding the offence and the explanation(s) offered by the convicted individual.

Why does Secure Healthcare Solutions ask for an Enhanced DBS Check ?

We do this to protect our client and patients. In doing this, we balance the need to prevent unsuitable people from working in sensitive posts, against the threat of discrimination against rehabilitated ex-offenders. In addition to the information included in the Standard Check, an Enhanced DBS Check includes a consultation of the new lists of individuals considered unsuitable to work with children and vulnerable adults. The police will also check for any additional information held in their files that might be relevant to the position being applied for. It is then up to the police to decide what extra information is added to the report.

What is the definition of a vulnerable adult?

Whilst the term ‘vulnerable’ is no longer in use, this is defined as an adult person aged 18 or over who is in receipt of specific types of services, namely:

healthcare for adults provided by, or under the direction or supervision of a regulated healthcare professional
personal care for adults
social work – provision by a social care worker of social work which is required in connection with any health services or social services
assistance with an adult’s cash, bills or shopping because of their age, illness or disability arranged via a third party
assisting in the conduct of an adult’s own affairs under a formal appointment
conveying adults for reasons of age, illness or disability to, from, or between places, where they receive healthcare, personal care or social work arranged via a third party.

Can Secure Healthcare Solutions Help with the Costs of DBS?

If you are a professional healthcare assistant, support worker with a minimum of 12 months experience , a registered nurse looking for work and motivated to do well in the Care industry , then secure healthcare solutions would be more than happy to take care of all the costs of your full enhanced DBS check, usually worth just under £70 mark.

Looking for Full-time or Flexible agency work ?

Full-time agency workers are welcome, with block bookings and contracts available. Benefits of working with Secure Healthcare

High pay rates
Flexible shifts
Regular shifts
Block bookings
Online timesheets
Dedicated Consultant
Refer a friend scheme
Free Uniform
Free Training
Meet and Greet (First Shift)
Internal Taxi Service for shifts
Both Permanent and Temporary Jobs available
Onsite Financial Advice

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