Caregivers get a welcome break

Halo effect

The impact of short-term care when people with dementia are placed in a healthcare center, even temporarily, is huge in the long run, said Jia Yaqun, geriatric care manager at Jingkangyuan, who is also responsible for the respite service care provided by the center.

She recalled an elderly man with dementia who received short-term care at the center in 2018. The man was mentally withdrawn and not very responsive whenhe arrived at the center. Numb would have described his condition. He had spent a long time at home on his own without talking to others, and his relatives had little time to care for him.

After a month of short-term care in the center, he began to wave his hands and took the initiative to communicate with others before his time was up and he returned home, Jia said.

"This man's situation became much more positive after he returned home," Jia said, adding that man often spoke of moments he remembered at the care center. He was simply happier.

"Respite care may seem short time, but there's a halo effect for the elderly men who received the care over time. That, in turn, helps the family quite a lot," she said.