Taking care of children and adults with special needs can be a demanding (albeit rewarding) experience. You may find yourself feeling overwhelmed with all the daily tasks you have to keep up with in addition to caring for your loved one. If you are feeling stressed, burned out, or overwhelmed, you may benefit from respite care in the West Valley. Respite care is designed to give you a well-deserved break while professional caregivers take care of your loved one.
If you have recently started taking care of someone with special needs or find you need a break from your caregiver responsibilities, respite care can provide much-needed relief. At On Angel’s Wings, we provide respite care in the West Valley for caregivers who want a chance to recharge and catch up on rest. If you are unfamiliar with respite care, you may have questions about the service—and that’s perfectly normal! We strive to inform our community members about all the resources that are available. Read on to learn about respite care and get answers to some of the most frequently asked questions about this service.
Respite care is a service designed to give primary caregivers a break from taking care of their children or loved ones with special needs. Respite allows you to mentally and physically recharge so you do not suffer from burnout. You will get the time you need to catch up on work, run errands, or simply rest and relax. Typically, respite care sessions last a few hours a day or throughout the week. This service is typically provided at your home or in the community.
Some members like to use respite care services on a regular basis to give both the caregiver and member a change of pace. Others prefer to use respite care on an as-needed basis. In some cases, you may be able to use respite care in emergency situations. For example, if you become suddenly ill, you can have a caretaker look after your loved one while you recover.
If you are looking for an organization that provides respite care in the West Valley, you’ve found one! On Angel’s Wings provides quality respite care for parents (or caretakers) of children and adults with disabilities. This includes both cognitive and developmental disabilities. Our respite services are available at our Phoenix location, but we also have caregivers across the West Valley and Greater Phoenix area who can provide at-home respite care.
Keep in mind there are respite care services for those with specific needs that receive services through AZ DES/DDD. Respite care is most commonly used to help caretakers who are looking after
If you are looking for respite care, please feel free to use this Arizona resource, which allows you to search for specialized care near you.
Community Resources for Respite
Resources for Families with Special Needs
No matter how much we think we can juggle in our lives, eventually these responsibilities become too much for just one person to bear. If you find yourself consistently overwhelmed, overworked, or overly stressed, it may be time to consider respite care. You might find that you are experiencing caregiver burnout, which can occur if you spend more time caring for others than caring for yourself. Some signs of caregiver burnout include
Remember: it is perfectly ok to ask for help. In fact, asking for help and taking is a necessity. You need to take care of your own needs in order to properly care for your loved ones.
This is one of the most commonly asked questions. The cost of respite care varies from state to state, and it also depends on a number of factors including the length of time you need respite, the location of the service, and the specific needs of your loved one.
The Department of Economic Security (DES) Division of Developmental Disabilities (DDD) provides services to individuals with developmental delays and disabilities and their families. The services are based on age and specific eligibility based on federal requirements and referral/application processes.
Download the DDD Eligibility Packet
If you have questions regarding eligibility, please contact the Division at toll-free 1-844-770-9500 or via e-mail at DDDApply@azdes.gov.
Yes, family members can provide respite care once they become qualified Respite providers. Some caregivers ask their extended family members to help out with respite every once in a while. This is often a convenient option and is especially helpful in emergency situations where you need someone to turn to in a pinch. On Angel’s Wings will train your family member to meet the qualifications needed to provide the care.
If you plan to involve family members in respite care, be sure to thoroughly describe the purpose of respite and maintain open communication throughout the process.
Here are some tips to help you talk about respite care with your family.
Your family members may not be aware of all the work that goes into respite care. Make sure they know about your child or loved one’s conditions and needs. Walk them through what a typical day of care might look like so they get an idea of what they’ll be doing in the future.
Caring for children or adults with disabilities is a demanding task. There is a lot to learn about and consider before providing this type of care. When asking your family members for help, have them honestly evaluate the tasks expected of them.
Find and join support groups so you can learn how other families receive support. You can often learn useful strategies from these groups and get access to helpful resources. If you get to know these families well, you may be able to help each other care for your loved ones.
If your family members are willing and able to help with respite care on a regular basis, consider making a schedule of when they will help care for your loved one. This will remove some of the stress involved with finding caretakers last minute. Make sure you find someone you trust to take care of your loved one if an emergency situation occurs.
After taking care of your loved one for so long, you may begin to think that you are the only one suited for the task. However, attempting to do everything on your own can easily lead to emotional and physical burnout. Acknowledge and accept these feelings, and remind yourself that it is ok (and not selfish) to ask for help. Telling your family members how you feel will help keep tensions down.
On Angel’s Wings, Inc. is proud to provide quality respite care services in the West Valley. We have service providers all throughout the Greater Phoenix area who can provide at-home respite care for you and your loved one, giving you a chance to take care of yourself while we look after your family member.
We love helping our Arizona communities, and respite care is just one of the ways we can help you get the break you need and deserve. See what our members have to say about their experiences at On Angel’s Wings!
Cities we serve in Arizona:
On Angel’s Wings is a Christian organization specializing in the care of youth and adults with special needs. Since 2003, we have provided quality care and specialized services for our members across the Greater Phoenix area. We provide a range of services including
Have questions about our services? Call us at (623) 780-5690 or send an email to contact@onangelswingsaz.com. We look forward to helping you and your family!