INTERVIEW WITH LAURA WILLIAMS OF RESPITELY FOR SEPTEMBER SELF-CARE AWARENESS MONTH

Welcome to our episode of “Caregiving Club On Air” podcast (S6, Ep 74) hosted by Sherri Snelling, corporate gerontologist, author and CEO of the Caregiving Club.

On this episode we are highlighting how to help family caregivers get a respite break for September Self-Care Awareness Month with our expert guest, Laura Williams, founder and CEO of Respitely.

Sherri discusses the following topics with Laura that help family caregivers and the friends and family who care about them to get periodic breaks from the challenges to caregiving to refresh and recharge. We often talk about caregiving as a marathon not a sprint and in order to continue in the race you have to take the breaks both physically and mentally that let you take a breath. It is the only way to create calm in the chaos of caregiving.

We want to help caregivers get the same break but sometimes it takes family and friends to help get us there. And that is where Respitely comes in. What Door Dash and Uber Eats is to food delivery, Respite is for caregiver breaks and self-care but it is not ordered by you – it is a gift from those who care about the you – the caregiver.

Laura shares her personal journey as a working mom, a long-distance caregiver to her mom, being part of the Sandwich Generation and why she created Respitely based on her own caregiving experience. During the episode, Sherri and Laura also discuss:

• What is respite care and who is it for?

• What is CareGifting and why it is important for family and friends to know how to do this for the caregiver they know.

• Why getting consistent “mini breaks” is more beneficial than waiting for one big annual “vacation-type” respite break.

• The rising trend in online marketplaces – curated online shopping specific to caring for an older parent – and what products and gadgets Respitely recommends.

Key Takeaways about Respite Care

• 1 in 5 employees is caring for an older parent or in-law or even grandparent 
• 1 in 3 is caring for a child or older parents
• 28% are the Sandwich Generation caring for both at the same time
• 60% of employees said caregiving increases their stress at work
• Yet, only 14% of all 63 million caregivers in the U.S. take advantage of respite care services

Resources

Here are some resources for respite care that can help family caregivers get a needed break to refresh and reset:

ARCH National Respite Care Network – good information and connections to agencies and other respite care services nationwide

Care.com – its business enterprise group is a resource for employers and their employees who are caregiving. You can connect with a senior care expert to find local respite care or use their professional caregiver marketplace where you can find respite and companion care services much like a matchmaking service where you choose the direct care worker from a list of independent professional caregivers

Comfort Keepers – for more than 25 years these trusted professional in-home care workers help bring companionship to older adults and give family caregivers a break to focus on joyful moments with their loved one and for themselves

Hilarity for Charity – dedicated to supporting dementia caregivers, you can apply for a scholarship, called a “care grant” to receive free respite care

Respitely – Engages the family, friends, colleagues who want to help the family caregiver they know – they can fund “CareGifting” respite care to those caregivers (like a “GoFundMe” but specifically meant to give the family caregiver a break)

UsAging – Area Agencies on Aging are located in most counties nationwide and can guide you to local respite services including those you may be able to get for free

Veteran’s Administration Caregiver Support Program – The caregivers of veterans can receive up to 30 days per calendar year of free respite care. This care can be delivered to the veteran in their home, an adult day care center or a VA Community Living Center or nursing home

Also, apps such as Caring Bridge, can provide invited family and friends a digital option to volunteer to provide respite care for the family caregiver.

Caregiving Club’s Me Time Monday “Self-Care in 7 Minutes” Videos on Self-care for National Self-Care Awareness Month

“Caregiving Club On Air” Podcast Hits #3

Read the press release about our ranking here

Our Caregiver News is Now on YouTube

RESOURCE LINKS

Respitely

“Elder Care Locator – eldercare.gov or call 1-800-677-1116 (help finding local resources)

“Self-Care in 7 Minutes” Wellness Hack Video Series

Click here to find out where to buy Sherri’s Me Time Monday book and learn more about the workshops

Sherri’s Me Time Monday book GoodReads page

Sherri’s articles related to this episode

Caregiving In the Workplace

Caregiving Redefined – How the Gen C Continuum Reflects a New Era of Care (LinkedIn blog)

The future of caregiving in the workplace: From a benefits checklist to a culture change (Care for Business article)

Why lifespan caregiving is reshaping the workforce (Care for Business article)

Caregiver training for managers: How it improves retention, culture & productivity (Care for Business article)

Mental Health in the Workplace Benefits Employees (PBS Next Avenue)

Workplace Caregiving: One Size Does Not Fit All (PBS Next Avenue)

Caregiver Wellness

Finding Happiness As a Caregiver (Forbes)

Happiness article (Spanish translation for Univision)

Lessons From The World’s Longest Study On Happiness (PBS Next Avenue)

9 Ways Caregivers Can Get a Free Respite Break (PBS Next Avenue)

How Mondays Can Help Caregivers to Overcome Loneliness and Improve Health (Epoch Times)

How family caregivers can use a Monday routine to reset self-care (Considerable)