Respite care guide for family caregivers

Key takeaways

• Respite care provides short-term, temporary support, giving primary family caregivers an important opportunity to rest and recharge.
• For many families, respite care can start gently at home, without needing to arrange residential aged care or make a major change to a parent’s routine.
• In Australia, respite care options include flexible in-home support, day programs at community centres, overnight residential stays and emergency services.
• Government funding may help reduce the cost of respite care through a Support at Home program budget or Carer Gateway funding.
• Arranging in-home respite care through the Mable platform allows families to search, choose and hire independent support workers who match their parent’s needs, preferences and routine.

If you’re managing your parent’s care, whether day-to-day or from a distance, it may feel overwhelming at times. There is always something to do, whether that’s organising appointments, keeping track of their medications, helping ensure their home remains safe, or updating the rest of the family.

Being responsible for your parent’s safety and ongoing support carries an emotional weight that can sometimes go unseen. Taking some time for yourself can help you keep caring well.

Respite care exists for this reason. It gives family caregivers the chance to rest and restore themselves, while also attending to their personal responsibilities. Many caregivers find they feel refreshed after respite care and are then able to support their loved ones better.

What is respite care in aged care?

Respite care is short-term support that allows a primary family caregiver to take a break from their ongoing responsibilities. They may use this time to rest, recover or manage other aspects of their life.

Some people think respite care means putting their parent in an aged care facility or a major disruption to their parent’s routine, but there are many respite care options. Many families find respite care at home is a gentler place to start.

You can use respite care for a few hours, a day, overnight, a few weeks or a month. Support can include personal care, domestic tasks, nursing services and more. For example, a support worker may visit your parent at home for a few hours each week to help with daily tasks, like cooking and cleaning, so you can rest or attend to personal appointments.

Why might caregivers hesitate to use respite care?

Many family caregivers wait a long time before considering respite care. Even when they’re tired or feeling overwhelmed, they may tell themselves they should keep going. There are a few different reasons why they may hesitate. They could feel:

• Guilty about taking time for themselves when their parent needs support
• Concerned about how their parent will respond to someone new in their home
• Worried that asking for help means they’re not coping or letting their parent down
• Unsure about where to start or what type of respite care is available.

If you can relate to any of these worries or are simply feeling a little burnt out, it may help to take a short break from your caring role. Respite care is there to support you, allowing you to rest and reset with the reassurance that your parent’s needs are still being met. There’s a good chance you return to your caregiving role feeling more energised.

What are the different types of respite care available in Australia?

There are different types of respite care in Australia. The right option can depend on a few factors, such as your parent’s needs, your family situation and how much support you need.

Aged care respite options include:

In-home respite care service

In-home respite care involves a support worker coming to your parent’s home for a few hours, a full day or on a regular weekly basis. The support worker may help with personal care, domestic tasks, meal preparation, transport, social support or companionship.

Many families find this is the gentlest form of respite care as their parent stays in familiar surroundings.

Centre-based respite service

Centre-based respite usually takes place in a community setting or day centre. This option may suit older people who enjoy spending time in the community and connecting with others, as they can participate in planned activities.

Residential respite services

This is short term respite care provided in an aged care home. It’s best suited to older people who need support for most tasks and may be useful when a caregiver needs a longer break, is going away or is recovering from illness.

Eligible older Australians may access up to 63 days of government-subsidised residential respite care in a financial year. Extensions of 21 days at a time may be possible if approved by an aged care assessor.

Emergency respite services

Emergency respite may be available when urgent care is needed, such as if a family caregiver becomes unwell.

Carer Gateway provides free support and services for unpaid carers. If you need emergency respite care, you can contact Carer Gateway on 1800 422 737 or access the Carer Gateway website for more information.

How can respite care be funded?

There are a number of funding options for respite care. How you choose to pay depends on the type of respite care your parent needs, their eligibility and the supports already in place. Funding options include:

Respite care with Support at Home funding

If your parent receives a Support at Home package, their budget can be used for approved services that support them to remain living at home. Respite care sits under the ‘independence services’ category in the Support at Home program.

If you’re self-managing a Support at Home package, you may have the flexibility to arrange respite care in a way that works for your parent’s routine and your family’s needs. This could be in-home or centre-based respite.

Government-funded residential respite

Residential respite - where a parent receives short term respite care in an aged care home - may be government subsidised for eligible older Australians. Eligible people may access up to 63 days in a financial year, with possible extensions of 21 days at a time if approved.

Free planned or emergency respite

Carer Gateway offers free support and services for unpaid carers, including access to planned and emergency respite. For emergency respite, carers can call 1800 422 737.

Privately funded respite care

Some families choose to self-fund for respite care, particularly if they want extra flexibility outside a funded package or need additional support hours.

Paying privately may also be useful when a family wants to start slowly, such as booking a short session at home to see how their loved one responds before setting up ongoing support.

How can you arrange in-home respite through Mable?

Through the Mable platform, you can arrange in-home respite care that fits your parent’s needs, personality and routine.

As the person managing your parent’s care, you stay in control of the process. You can search for independent support workers in your local area and choose someone who feels like the right fit for your loved one.

Depending on your parent’s needs, this support may include help with:

• Domestic tasks around the home, like cooking or cleaning
• Personal care
• Social connection and companionship
• Transport to appointments or social outings.

You can also use tools on the Mable platform to help make your respite care search easier, like:

• Filter support worker results based on your parent’s needs, routine and preferences.
• Review support worker profiles, including details about their experience, interests, qualifications, reviews and their indicative rates.
• Message support workers to learn more about them before making a decision.
• Arrange a meet and greet with a support worker to help your loved one feel more comfortable before the first session.
• Book a single session to start, or set up regular support.

For many families, one of the most reassuring parts of arranging respite care through Mable is consistency. Instead of adjusting to a rotating roster of unfamiliar people, your loved one can be supported by someone they get to know over time. This can help them feel more comfortable and give you more confidence in taking a break.

Taking the first step toward respite care

Caring for a loved one or parent can be one of the most meaningful things you do, but it can also be demanding at times. Having respite support in place can give you time to recuperate and return with more energy for the important role you play in supporting your loved one.

Finding respite care often starts with just one small step. You might like to get started and book a support session, or simply contact our friendly team about receiving support through Mable.