Temporary respite breaks for carers as the DomusVi Murcia residence prepares for the Christmas season!

A second home for the elderly at DomusVi Ciudad de Murcia helps answer the question “Who cares for the carer?”

This is one of those times of year when our thoughts inevitably turn to family and friends as we prepare for the festive season, but often not all is light and joy and in many situations, unfortunately, loyalties are torn between some members of the family and others.

One of these dilemmas often concerns how to cope with the strain of caring for an elderly relative over the Christmas and New Year season, particularly if the person concerned is in Spain and the rest of the family are in the UK or other northern European countries. Many elderly people may not be able to face the stress of air travel, but if their carer wants to go home for a while and see other people they can hardly leave them on their own!

Fortunately, a solution is at hand. In the Region of Murcia, DomusVi care homes have recently opened a brand-new residence on the outskirts of the regional capital where one of the main focuses is on ensuring that short-term stays are enjoyable, safe and relaxing for both residents and their carers. These “family respite” breaks are especially adapted for each temporary resident after a thorough personalised initial assessment of their needs and preferences, with factors such as pastimes, dietary habits and many others all being taken into account.

Numerous aspects of these “family respite breaks” offered by DomusVi Ciudad de Murcia are flexible, including the duration, which can be anywhere from a weekend to a period of months! And while residents are in the care of the professional staff of DomusVi, they are encouraged to make use of various facilities and activities, including games, physical exercise and social gatherings, of which there are plenty over Christmas, the New Year and the Three Kings!

(Click here for an example taken from the schedule for the festive season in 2024).

All of this provides both physical and emotional relief for family carers, enabling them to take time off for whatever reason: holidays, special occasions such as weddings, convalescence after illness or surgery or, as is so often the case at this time of year, a much-needed Christmas break!

A second home for the elderly while the carer recharges their batteries!

Facilities

Apart from the onsite dining room and laundry services, other facilities offered at DomusVi Ciudad de Murcia include physiotherapy, podiatry and a hairdresser, and at all times families are kept up to date with how their loved one is faring in what they soon treat as their “second home”.

Personalized care and social activities

And at the same time, Cristina Pastor, the director of DomusVi Ciudad de Murcia, guarantees that each resident, whether short-term or long-term, receives personalised care and attention while having a chance to socialise with others and knowing that specialised medical professionals are on hand if and when required.

The benefits of respite breaks

With more than three decades of experience in the field, the DomusVi centres across Spain are the best option for family carers who need a break, whether it’s due to physical and emotional stress, health concerns or simply some time to take care of yourself for a change while you recharge your batteries!

But at the same time, the person being cared for also benefits from the respite break, as they enjoy the security of knowing that those looking after them are highly trained professionals, enabling them to enjoy a homely atmosphere especially created for people in a similar situation to themselves and to socialize, tinker with their normal daily routine and reduce the sense of being dependent (or a burden) on their families.

This is key to the ethos of DomusVi, where the residents are all viewed as part of an extended family, enjoying the company and buzz of activity found in any family home. For this reason, those relinquishing their caring duties have no need to feel concerned or guilty7 about doing so, as they know that specialized staff are constantly on hand to ensure that dietary, health, emotional and cognitive wellbeing are all taken care of during your loved one’s temporary stay.

And the person-centred approach in the centre means that individual tastes, preferences and decisions are taken into account at all times, instead of residents being submitted to a rigid routine, diet and timetable!

In short:

Reasons for short-term stays

- Physical or emotional fatigue on the part of the usual carer, the need to take some time for yourself!

- Health reasons, on the part of either the elderly person (when specialized care but not hospitalization is required) or the carer (even heroic carers are prone to illness and injury at time!)

- Logistical or practical reasons, such as the carer attending weddings, taking weekends off, the need for building work to be done in the “usual” home…

Key benefits of temporary stays

• The chance for the usual carer to recharge their batteries and enjoy time off
• The carer can attend to their own personal and family life
• Reduction of stress and overloading
• An improved family dynamic
• Professional care is given at all times
• A busy and social environment for the temporary resident
• A change of routine for everyone concerned!
• Full and regular information is supplied to the family of the resident, and family members are welcome to visit at any time

So, don’t worry, go ahead and do it! If you’re caring for an elderly relative and really need a break, or would like to get away from it all over Christmas and the New Year, contact DomusVi Ciudad de Murcia and find out more about how they can help!