I love my husband very much, but I need to take some time for myself. How can I explain to him that I’ve hired respite care without him thinking he’s a burden?
It can be very difficult to hire someone if you have been the only one caring for your husband up to this point. If you start slowly and are present for the first couple of visits then your husband will develop a relationship with this person, and it will not seem to be as much of a change for him. If you explain to him that you need some time for yourself so that you can be a better caregiver for him, he may not feel that he is a burden. Using the respite care for specific appointments, such as a weekly bridge game, for instance, will allow him to know when these times will be occurring and help him to understand the need.
