Respite Care

What is respite care?

Respite care is a short-term service that allows you to take a break from your usual routine of daily care as a primary caregiver. The break may last for a few hours or several days or weeks.

During this time, someone else — typically a trained professional — takes on your caregiving duties. This might involve helping with medications, fixing meals or simply providing companionship. Respite care helps people who are caring for adults and children of all ages, including those with medical needs. For example, you may choose to use respite care if you’re caring for a loved one who has:

• An intellectual or developmental disability.
• A terminal illness.
• Dementia.
• A mental health disorder.
• Any chronic health condition.

You can plan respite care in advance or access it on an emergency basis. Planned respite care can help you manage a busy schedule or prevent caregiver burnout. For example, you may plan respite care in regular intervals, such as daily or weekly, if you need time to go to work or tend to others’ needs. Emergency respite care can help when life presents you with a sudden challenge (like a health issue) that keeps you from caring for your loved one.

Why is respite care important?

Respite care can help you juggle many responsibilities while still making sure your loved one receives the care they need. But it’s also a way to restore your energy, do something relaxing or simply have some alone time.

Caregivers often feel guilty taking a break when it doesn’t seem absolutely necessary. But research shows that breaks from regular caregiving are, in fact, necessary (even if you don’t have anything else on your calendar). Having some time to yourself helps you avoid caregiver burnout. This state of exhaustion can affect any caregiver no matter their level of dedication or determination. Respite care helps caregivers provide better care by improving focus, energy and motivation.

You’re likely used to working around the clock to care for someone who relies on you. You may resist people who tell you to “Take a break” and shrug off your exhaustion with an “I’m fine.” That’s often because you value the caregiving you provide, and love the person you’re caring for. But it might also be because you’re nervous about letting someone else step into your shoes.

Choosing respite care that meets your loved one’s needs can help you relax and feel confident they’re getting quality care, even if you aren’t there. You may even learn some new tips and tricks from the respite caregivers to improve your care for your loved one. Learning more about respite care, including where it happens and who provides it, can give you peace of mind that you’re making the right choice.

Where does respite care take place?

You can arrange respite care in many different places depending on your loved one’s needs. Examples of respite care settings include:

• Your home. Respite care in your home allows your loved one to stay in a familiar, comfortable setting.
• The respite care provider’s home. Respite care in someone else’s home allows your loved one to feel comfortable in a setting that doesn’t feel too different from home. 
• A daycare center. Daycare centers typically offer respite care for up to eight hours a day on weekdays for children with developmental disabilities or other needs. There are also adult day services in settings like community centers, churches and assisted living facilities. 
• A nursing home or hospital. Some nursing homes and hospitals can accommodate overnight respite care. This may be something you plan or that you access in an emergency.
• A camp. Camps teach valuable skills to those who attend and offer a chance for socialization and friendship.
• A group home. Group homes sometimes offer short-term respite care when space allows. Respite care in group homes can be a helpful option for your loved one to enjoy independence in a safe environment.  
• A crisis nursery. Crisis nurseries provide emergency respite care for babies and children. They support parents undergoing a wide range of challenges, including homelessness, sudden illness or the need for immediate medical care. Crisis respite care can help ease the load for parents and caregivers and prevent situations where abuse or neglect might take place.

Who provides respite care?

It depends on where your loved one receives care and how you arrange it. Providers of respite care can include:

• Home health aides who come to your home.
• Staff who work at facilities or residences.
• Other family or friends planned to help with caregiving.
• Volunteers who provide respite in homes, camps and daycare centers.

State and local regulations decide the training required for respite care providers in many settings. In general, the amount of training or experience your respite care provider should have depends on your loved one’s needs. The more specialized their medical needs, the more training their care provider should have. 

Choosing respite care

It’s important to learn about the qualifications and training of anyone who will care for your loved one. 

If you’re hiring a home health aide through an agency or exploring day centers, consider asking the administrator:

• How do you choose and train care providers?
• Do you perform background checks?
• What tasks are your providers trained or qualified to do?
• How do you handle emergencies or problems that may arise?

If you’re selecting a day center or other facility, make sure you tour the location at least once. While there, take notes on:

• The level of cleanliness (including what you can see and what you can smell).
• How care providers interact with residents.
• The types of spaces available for activities or quiet time.

If you’re hiring someone independently to come to your home, start with a phone screening and then meet in person for an interview. Consider asking about:

• The types of tasks they’re experienced and comfortable doing.
• Their training and credentials (ask for documentation).
• Their experience caring for people with your loved one’s unique needs (like specific medical conditions).
• How they would handle emergencies.

After the interview, be sure to:

• Ask for references and call each one.
• Do a background check.
• Write down the details of the services provided, including hours, cost and expectations. Review the details together with the care provider to make sure you’re both on the same page.

What do respite care services involve?

Respite care involves a wide range of activities and support services tailored to your loved one’s age, needs and preferences. Different locations offer different services. By definition, respite care offers you (the caregiver) a break from your usual duties. But beyond shifting duties to someone else, respite care offers many services to the person receiving care. So, when you plan respite care, it can help to think about what your loved one needs most.

For example, are they lonely? Would they benefit from physical activity or activities that challenge their brain? Do they need help taking medications or staying on a certain schedule? Make a list of what you do for your loved one each day and why each task is important. This can help you decide the type of respite care that’s most appropriate, as well as where it should take place (in or outside the home).

Depending on what you arrange, respite care may provide your loved one:

• Opportunities for conversation and companionship.
• Structured social activities like art, exercise or dance.
• Activities targeted to their specific cognitive or developmental needs.
• Skilled medical care, including assistance with medications or medical devices.
• Help with bathing, going to the bathroom or other self-care.
• Prepared meals (outside the home) or help with preparing meals (at home).
• Transportation to and from a daycare center or other location.

What are the benefits of respite care?

Planned respite allows you to try out a service in case you ever need it in an emergency. You’ll know you have a reliable source of care available. You can avoid scrambling to find a caregiver and quickly deciding if they’re a good fit. Emergency respite care helps you through a difficult situation you didn’t see coming.

Respite care has many other, specific benefits for both you and the person you care for.

Benefits for the caregiver

Respite care can help you:

• Avoid caregiver burnout, or a state of physical, emotional and mental exhaustion.
• Maintain relationships with others in your life.
• Tend to other responsibilities like work or medical appointments.
• Relax, travel or do something you usually don’t have time for.
• Strengthen your caregiving abilities (because you took time away to reset and recharge).
• Learn tips and tricks from experienced caregivers who have seen similar situations.

Benefits for the person receiving care

Respite care can help your loved one:

• Meet other people with similar experiences, health conditions or needs.
• Make new friends.
• Engage in activities appropriate to their abilities.
• Feel more comfortable adjusting to new environments.
• Receive care tailored to their medical needs.

Who pays for respite care?

You’ll likely need to pay for respite care as an out-of-pocket expense. But you may be able to get some assistance from:

• State or federal funding, such as Medicaid waivers or the Veterans Administration.
• Private healthcare insurance plans.
• Community organizations.

Medicare may cover part of the cost of respite care for people in hospitals or skilled nursing facilities, and for individuals receiving hospice care.

The ARCH National Respite Network provides resources for people to get help with covering the cost of respite care.

It’s a good idea to explore these resources and contact local, state and national agencies to learn your options. Access to funding assistance can vary widely depending on where you live and your loved one’s health insurance plan.

You may also find funding through organizations that support people with specific medical conditions (like Alzheimer’s disease or ALS). Reaching out to local chapters of such organizations is a good starting place to find out what forms of assistance are available and how to access them.

How many hours of respite care are you allowed?

A limiting factor for many people is cost. Depending on available funding and your financial situation, you may be able to arrange respite care for several hours, days or weeks at a time. Find out what your loved one’s health insurance will cover. This will allow you to plan the amount of respite care you can afford.

How can I find respite care?

You can find respite care in your area by searching the National Respite Locator Service. You can search by location, as well as look for respite care for specific populations, like veterans or children with special medical needs.