Respite care
What is Respite care?
Respite care provides time for recuperation for the individual and their carer. It is a specified short period of time whereby the carer is relieved from their regular care duties and replaced by alternative services.
The care may be provided within the home, in the community, or within an aged care facility. The care may be planned in advance, or may occur as an emergency if the carer is immediately unable to perform their usual duties (such as major illness or death).
How do I apply for assessment?
When you’re in need of a break for a short period of time, respite care offers supports for you and your carer. Dependent on your needs, respite care can be accessed for varying periods of time. These services can be accessed within the home, community or aged-care facility. Respite care can be a planned service or can also be utilised in cases of emergencies.
Accessing emergency respite care:
Contact Carer Gateway on 1800 422 737 for emergency respite care access.
There are many situations where emergency respite care may be required, including:
Emergency with the primary carer (e.g., illness or death)
Urgent situations in which the primary carer is unable to provide support.
Further information on emergency respite is available on the Carer Gateway website.
Community Respite
Community respite is provided under the Commonwealth Home Support Programme (CHSP) to those found eligible. The CHSP supports the relationship between you and your carer through a range of planned respite services that allow carers to take a break from their usual caring duties.
How does it work?
Community respite is best suited if you need occasional carer support for some day-to-day tasks or activities. It is available during the day, overnight, or for the weekend:
Centre-based respite: This type of respite care is available during the day (usually between 10am-3pm), providing opportunities interact with others. This form of care usually is at a day centre, club or residential setting. Sometimes this care includes transport to and from the centre.
Cottage Respite: This type of respite care can be utilised for overnight and weekend stays. This takes place in the community or in the home of a host family. This can be used for two to three days at a time maximum.
Flexible Respite: This is available for day time care or overnight, provided in your home or in the community. This often involves a paid carer entering your home, enabling the usual primary carer to take a short break.
Am I eligible for community respite?
Eligibility for community respite will be assessed through a My Aged Care Regional Assessment Service (RAS). Click here to obtain more information surrounding this assessment.
You can check if you are eligible for an assessment OR apply online for an assessment, or call My Aged Care on 1800 200 422 to get started.
Residential respite
Residential respite in an aged care home is often utilised for a few days to a few weeks at a time. This form of respite care is best suited when needing ongoing, continuous support in most day to day tasks.
How does residential respite work?
When accessing residential respite care, the care and services provided are the same as those who are permanent residents. Decisions surrounding whether you receive low- or high-level care will be based on your initial ACAT assessment.
How much residential respite care can I receive?
Within a single financial year, you are entitled to access up to 63 days of subsidised care (including both planned and emergency residential respite care).
If an extension is required, this can be extended by 21 days at a time, however requiring further approval from your aged care assessor. Reasons for this extension may include your current care needs, primary carer stress and/or the absence of your carer.
Am I eligible for residential respite?
Eligibility will be assessed based on a face-to-face assessment. If eligible, your assessor will work collaboratively with both yourself and your carer to find a suitable aged care home for residential respite.
Read more about residential respite and how to access these services.
