I recently brought my common-law husband home from a nursing home. Any advice how to get a break?

Depending on his needs, if it's not too complex, you might be able to have a teenager come over after school and just watch him while you get out a few hours, maybe they could earn confirmation points or Boy Scout badges, check with local churches (they will not care nor need know he is not your legal husband).

Karen, do you belong to church or temple? The reason I ask is that many have volunteers to visit the homebound or to give you the respite I know you need. Another place to check is the senior citizen center in your area, sometimes this can be better as they may be closer in age, and have more in common with your partner. Of course a lot depends in what sort of area you live in and whether this would even be feasible, in terms of safety. I tend to like my church as I know many of the people there and I feel safer, plus my priest or my friends may know the volunteer personally.

Have you checked your city to see if they have services to offer. I am on the waiting list for caregiver services. It is 4 hours per week, but it will help a little. We are also on meals on wheels for my husband. Have you checked your church as well? And finally, can you hire a person for a reasonable fee for a few hours a week? THat is what I am having to do for a while. I wish you blessings.

Contact your local VNA and also get assessment from your state homecare( The Area Agency on Aging) Both of these agencies should be able to provide some sort of respite care and other services to help you keep your spouse at home.

I clicked on report this post from the "witch doctor". What a slime bag to do a post like that on this type of a site (or any other for that matter). Any reputable spell caster would never do such shenanigans.
Now about the subject at hand - The county in which I live (Fulton, GA) has county services that provide respite care and other senior services. I suggest you dig this out from the county or possibly state agency. It is not easy to find. It took me months of searching because, first of all I did not know if this kind of thing was available and secondly I had no Idea where to start looking. I found it from a tip here on this site. Meals on Wheels is also available in some locations. So let's assume you would like to go out & get your hair done or get a massage, or even go grocery shopping it would be nice for his meal to be brought in and someone sit with him while you run errands or have some "me" time.

Cathberry did you click on Report this Post? That is about the only way that the moderator will know about this sort of post. BTW, the above is an e-mail address. Note the ending hotmail dot com.

How about family and friends. Can someone babysit while you take a few hours off?

Why did this posting get past the moderator? Why did a web address ending in dot com get past the moderator?

Hopefully you were assigned visiting nurses, PT, OT and a bath aide. If you were not, call his MD and ask for a written order for home care. Medicare does cover in-home services after a hospital stay.