One hundred percent responsible - 2024 08 27

 


There are 168 hours in a week (24 x 7). When you are operating a long-term care bed in your home for a family member who can no longer fend for themselves, your hours of caregiving duty is 168 hours a week. That is 100% of the time. That is why becoming a family caregiver is the same magnitude of change as becoming a new parent. You are responsible for the health and welfare of another human being.

When you have respite, say, for 8 hours a week, from Home Support, then your caregiving hours for that week are 160. Overnights count. You are still on call and responsible for the health and welfare of your care recipient.

If we were to hire an external caregiver to stay overnight with Mom so we could get a night away, the rate should be budgeted for at least $30/hr. A 10 hour sleepover (if you have 1 hour to get to bed, 8 hours sleep, and 1 hour to get up in the morning), that would cost $300 for that one overnight. Even then, we are responsible and on call.

Does anyone have access to evidence-based data that reports actual hours family caregivers are on duty? Or, another way to look at it, how many hours a day or week a family caregiver can leave their care recipient unattended? Or, another way to look at it, how many hours a day or week a family caregiver is not on call or responsible for their care recipient?

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