Respite Care

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KEY POINTS

• Respite care can provide a short break if you care for someone who is injured, ill, or disabled.
• There are several kinds of respite care that can help out for a few hours up to a couple of weeks.
• Respite care can include someone coming into your home, a safe place for adults or children to spend the day, a group home setting, or an assisted nursing or living facility for longer amount of time.

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What is respite care?

Respite care is a short break for a caregiver, lasting a few hours to a couple of weeks. A caregiver provides for the needs of someone who is injured, ill, or disabled. There are several kinds of respite care:

• In-home care: Someone comes to the home for a few hours each week to give the regular caregiver some free time. Respite workers can usually be hired through home care agencies. They may be trained as aides or homemakers. Churches and other organizations may have volunteers who can help for a few hours each week. Family members or friends may be able to spend some time with the person who needs care.
• Adult day care: These are group programs that provide care and supervision outside the home for adults with special needs. They offer a safe, secure place for adults to spend the day. Programs provide activities and meals. Some offer healthcare and counseling, and some provide transportation to and from the center. The programs may be located in community centers, long-term care facilities, or hospitals.
• Child and adolescent care: Local social service organizations may help you find an in home respite worker or a day care type setting for children with special needs. Alternative community based homes or programs can also help care for children and teens with specials needs.
• Facility care: A local nursing or assisted living facility may be able to provide care for 1 to 3 weeks. You may need a referral from the person’s healthcare provider to qualify for this type of care.

How do I arrange for respite?

Before you arrange for respite care, think about:

• What kind of care is needed and for how long
• How much you are able to pay
• What type of respite is best for you and the person you are caring for

You can try several options to see what will work best:

• You might ask someone to sit with the person being cared for and watch TV or read to the person so that you can take some time for yourself.
• If the person you are caring for is a veteran, contact the local Veterans Affairs office and ask what they can do to help.
• If you need to go away for several days, contact local nursing facilities.
• Check with churches and other organizations that may have volunteers who can help with cooking or shopping.
• Contact home health agencies. They may have certified nursing assistants to help with bathing, changing bedding, and checking blood pressure, temperature, and pulse.
• Call the National Eldercare Locator hotline (800-677-1116) for help finding local resources for seniors and their caregivers.
• The Alzheimer’s Association has a 24 hour per day hotline (800-272-3900) to assist caregivers who need information or respite care.