Respite care at home: everything you need to know

When should I use home respite care?

There are many different reasons for arranging respite care for your loved one. It may be a weekly part of your routine, or a service you use a few times per year to take a holiday.

Here are some examples of when you might choose to use home respite care:

• Regular time out for a break or other commitments

  You might need an afternoon off to do the weekly grocery shop or attend your own appointments. It’s also perfectly fine to take time out regularly to relax and put your feet up for a few hours.

   

• Taking a holiday

  You may wish to go on holiday and it’s not appropriate for your loved one to come along. In this case, there are several options for overnight respite care, whether you’re away for a long weekend, or a few weeks. 

   

• You need time to recover from a health issue

  It may be that you need to have an operation, or are recovering from a short-term illness and need an extended break from your caring duties while you get back on your feet.

   

• You’re feeling exhausted and burned out

  If you’re starting to feel physically and emotionally fatigued, you’re not alone. Caregiver burnout is very common, and often one of the initial signs that support is needed. It doesn’t mean you’ve failed your loved one, it simply means you’re human. Symptoms of caregiver burnout might include:

  o    Constant fatigue and feeling emotionally drained, even with rest
  o    Feeling increasingly irritable and easily frustrated 
  o    Not wanting to do the things you normally enjoy
  o    Difficulty sleeping, focusing, or making decisions
  o    Disregarding self-care and your own health in favour of caregiving responsibilities.

What home respite care services can I receive?

In Australia, there are four main types of respite care, and we’ve outlined each of them below. 

1.  Respite care in your own home

You may find it beneficial to have a care worker visit you in your home several times per week and take over the caring duties for a few hours while you take a break. 

They can support your loved one to keep up with their personal care routines, such as showering, dressing, or their medication schedule. They can also support you and your loved one with transportation to appointments, grocery shopping, and meal preparation. Learn more here. 

2.  Daytime respite care in your community

At BaptistCare, our day respite centres are known as social clubs, located across 18 different locations in NSW and the ACT. These clubs are as much for your loved one as they are for you, offering an engaging day of fun, stimulating activities alongside local people at a similar stage of life.

Most members attend one or two days per week, with each club dedicating a different day of the week to people with similar care needs.

Some respite day centres offer door-to-door transport, picking attendees up in a minibus and dropping them home afterwards.

3.  Overnight respite care

Sometimes known as overnight cottage respite, this form of respite care provides short-term overnight stays, ranging from two nights to three weeks.

Overnight cottages offer intimate settings that can accommodate up to ten people, including couples. They are designed to feel like a home away from home, with cozy bedrooms, accessible bathrooms, and a homely lounge room and kitchen.

4.  Emergency respite care

Unexpected situations arise from time to time. If you’ve had a fall, become ill, or need to attend to an unexpected situation, you may not be able to provide care for a time. Emergency respite care can fill that gap.

Emergency respite care takes place in a residential aged care home. This is because it can be accessed more quickly than other forms of respite – in fact, many care homes keep a few rooms aside solely for respite residents.

Residential respite care is heavily subsidised, making it one of the most affordable respite options for seniors. It is not means tested, and residents can claim up to 63 days per day. On average, most temporary residents choose to stay between two and four weeks.

How to arrange home respite care – three easy steps

While all forms of respite home care can be privately funded, there is also government funding available via the Home Care Packages program or the Commonwealth Home Support Program. 

The following three steps outline the application process for this funding:

1. Check your eligibility for government funding 

The first step is to find out whether you are eligible for government-funded home care services. 

You can do this by contacting My Aged Care, the government gateway for all Australian aged care services. 

Check your eligibility via their handy online eligibility checker, or by calling My Aged Care on 1800 200 422.

2. Arrange an in-person assessment 

If you are deemed eligible, you will need to arrange an in-person assessment. My Aged Care will guide you through the booking process for this. Depending on demand, the wait time for assessments is usually between two and six weeks.

3. Contact your chosen provider

Following your in-person assessment with a member of the Government’s Aged Care Assessment Team (ACAT) (or the Regional Assessment Service if you are applying for the Commonwealth Home Support Program) your assessor will be able to write you a referral for a local provider for respite care services at home, or you can choose your own. 

If you are choosing your own provider, you will be given a referral code, which gives you 56 days to choose your own operator. Once you have contacted them, they can start arranging services for you. 

How much does home respite care cost?