Respite care

Respite care services look after a dependent person temporarily so that their carer can have a break. Such breaks should provide a positive experience for both the person cared for and the carer, to enhance the quality of their lives and support their relationship. Services may cover any period from a few hours to a few weeks.

The main types of respite care we can provide are:

• Overnight care and day care in a residential home (for older people)
• Day care in centres providing structured activities (for older and disabled people)
• Overnight sitting in persons own home (for older and disabled people)
• Sitting in persons own home evenings and weekends (for older and disabled people)
• Direct Payments to enable you to arrange the respite care needed to meet the identified care needs of you and the person you care for (all eligible service users and their carers)
• Overnight care in a specialist short-term care house (for people with a learning disability)
• Hospital-based day care and overnight care (for people with medical needs)
• Hospice and hospital-based care (for people with a terminal illness)

Who can request respite care?

Respite care is available for people who provide a substantial amount of care for others.

Your GP can advise you about hospital-based and hospice respite care available.

Will there be a charge for the service?

There is a charge for respite care services for adults, based upon the type of care provided, the length of time it’s provided for and the assessed ability of the person cared for to pay. We will give you more information about likely costs before you use the service, so you won’t receive any unexpected bills.

How do I know that the services will be reliable?

We have responsibility for ensuring that the services we provide or recommend have good standards.  Residential homes must be registered and to achieve registration they must meet specified standards. They are inspected regularly to ensure that they continue to meet the required standards.

Providers of services to adults in their own homes (home care or domiciliary care agencies) also have to meet specified standards. Staff are rigorously vetted and are offered training and support to ensure they are competent to carry out their duties.

What to do if you are not satisfied

If you do not agree with your assessment or the proposed charge for a service you can ask for a reassessment. If you are unhappy with the quantity or quality of service provided you should discuss this with your care manager.

How to find out more about respite care in your area?