Time Off from Caregiving

Caregiver's Respite

To the sea or to the mountains? Actually a typical question that many people ask themselves year after year to plan their next vacation. For caregiving relatives, however, the radius has usually shrunk considerably, and traveling is rarely considered. Yet a vacation could do many a world of good. "Caring for a relative can certainly be seen as a part-time or even full-time job, and vacation is an opportunity to recharge the batteries," says Kersten Suckart, famPLUS care consultant from Munich.

In everyday care, there is often little time for personal interests or hobbies. "Many caregivers are focused on their relatives. Their own needs often take a back seat," says Kersten Suckart. A vacation is an opportunity to deliberately relax, pursue leisure activities, and connect with other people. "Leaving the familiar care setting can help prevent burnout," explains the famPLUS expert.

Going on vacation alone?

Fundamentally, it is important to clarify whether you want to travel alone or with the person in need of care. Kersten Suckart advises being clear about the purpose of the vacation: "What are the expectations for the vacation? Is personal relaxation the priority, or is it about the person in need of care?" It's difficult to reconcile both.

Anyone who travels alone can focus on themselves and truly disconnect from caring and attending to others. For some, this can be difficult at first because it also means letting go of family members during this time and entrusting them to others. Take your own concerns and feelings seriously! Because if you struggle with guilt, worry, or doubt, you will not have a relaxed vacation.

The care-dependent person or their surroundings do not always react with understanding. Sometimes accusations arise that one wants to push the care-dependent person away. "Consider how you will handle this," says Kersten Suckart. You can explain your caregiving situation and the constant burden, but not everyone will understand and empathize. So think in advance about how you will handle it.

Organize care for the relative

If you are traveling alone, there are various ways to arrange care for your family member. As benefits from the long-term care insurance fund, you can use respite care or short-term care. Respite care can be provided for up to six weeks, but the amount is limited to 1612 euros (applicable for care levels 2 to 5). This substitute care can take place in a facility or in the home environment. If first-degree relatives take over the substitute care, the long-term care insurance fund pays a maximum of 1.5 times the care allowance.

Another option is for the dependent family member to be cared for in a nursing home during the vacation. The nursing care fund provides a benefit for this, the so-called short-term care: The amount is up to 1,774 euros for up to eight weeks per year. It can be used by anyone with a care level of 2 to 5. If the benefits of preventive care or short-term care are not used, they can be partially or fully offset. Always inform yourself in advance and ask the nursing service or nursing home for a cost estimate and breakdown of which costs you still have to cover yourself.

Traveling together: Plan well

You want to travel together? Then you should plan well – and that starts with choosing the destination. Expert Kersten Suckart advises considering the following things:

• Do I handle the on-site care alone or do I need additional people on-site?
• Do I want to travel alone or take a group offer with others affected?
• How mobile is my relative and how much travel time can they handle?
• How resilient is the person in need of care? How important is the home environment and the reliable routine?
• Do I need care aids or equipment on site (incontinence products, nursing bed, transfer lift, etc.) and how do I get them?
• Are there language barriers?

In any case, you should first speak with your general practitioner and, if necessary, a specialist, and obtain their approval. Inquire whether there is medical and nursing support at your travel destination and how you can access it. Research emergency numbers in advance so that you have them ready to hand in case of an emergency. You can also discuss with the care advice service how to effectively plan your individual vacation.

Finding a good provider

Anyone who wants to go on vacation with their dependent relative should keep their expectations as realistic as possible. "In an unfamiliar environment, everyone reacts differently. For those in need of care, the unfamiliar setting can quickly become overwhelming," says Kersten Suckart. She recommends taking a second familiar person along or meeting someone on-site. This way, the care and support can be distributed among multiple people. The daily schedule should be kept as manageable as possible, with plenty of rest periods planned.

An alternative is specialized travel companies or care hotels. These are usually barrier-free and equipped with care beds and emergency call systems. Care by nursing staff is often also possible. On the following platforms, you can find barrier-free vacation offers and trips for people in need of care:

• Travel Mole https://reisemaulwurf.de/reisen/
• Social and Refined Travel https://www.sgreisen.de/
• Association Vacation and Care https://urlaub-und-pflege.de/
• Runa Travel https://www.runa-reisen.de/

Important to know: The term "care hotel" is not legally protected. Inquire in advance about the services, aids, and offers of the hotel. Find out what the medical and nursing care is like. Because only if your relative is well cared for will you be able to relax.

Financing the Vacation

And how can the whole thing be financed? If you travel together with a recognized provider, you can often utilize services from the long-term care insurance. Respite care, partial short-term care, and relief services can usually be used within Germany without any issues. Often, the hotel will settle the costs directly with the nursing care fund.

If the person in need of care receives benefits in kind, this can be settled through a nursing service. Important to know: this is not covered for trips outside Europe. And: Within Germany, the fund only pays a proportionate care allowance during the trip. Get advice from your fund and care consultancy in advance.

Collect Beautiful Moments

Well-planned and supported, a vacation together can be a refreshing break from everyday life for you and your loved one. You can indulge in old memories or create wonderful new moments.

Sources:

https://www.bundesgesundheitsministerium.de/short-term-care.html

https://www.bundesgesundheitsministerium.de/verhinderungspflege.html

https://www.handicapped-reisen.de/

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