What is Respite Care?

By CarePatrol

Respite care provides the primary caregiver/family a short-term break so they may rest, spend time with family or friends, run errands, attend financial/legal appointments or just simply “catch up”.

A loved one may receive respite care at home by a friend, volunteer, private-duty caregiver, at an adult day center, licensed assisted living home/facility or a skilled nursing facility (aka nursing home). The typical timeframe is up to 30 days. Most licensed assisted living and skilled nursing facilities have a minimum and maximum number of days for respite stays.

Other than free options such as family, friends or volunteers, paid respite care is paid for at an hourly rate for private-duty caregivers or daily rate in a licensed setting such as adult day care or assisted living.

If your loved one is a veteran, on hospice or has a long-term care insurance policy, periodic respite stays may be covered.

In summary, it is incredibly important for a primary caregiver to occasional take a break for their own physical health and emotional well-being. When the respite options mentioned above are not available or not enough, it’s time to consider in-home care or assisted living.