Respite
Options for seniors to access respite allow carers to have some time to themselves. This is especially important for spouses or partners who otherwise may have little time to themselves or to have a break from an otherwise full-time job of caring for their partner.
Respite comes in many forms:
- In-home respite is usually provided by someone coming to the home of the person needing support. This can be for a few hours up to the whole day and may include trips outside the house, for example to a café or shopping. In some ways it is like babysitting but tailored to the needs of the person being supported. This can be provided by lay persons or professional staff can be sought for persons needing more advanced care (for example personal activities like showering and dressing).
- Day respite is when our person needing support visits a specialised day centre for activities suited to them. This may be a centre that tailors for persons living with dementia or other conditions like frailty. Attending a centre like this allows the person to engage in more social activities with multiple people, which is harder to achieve at home.
- Residential respite is when a person needing support is temporarily admitted to an aged care facility. This nearly always requires approval through the MyAgedCare ACAT (or NDIS) process described in the home services section (which will fully cover up to a certain quantity of respite days per year). This form of respite is often used for when carers or family are going away on a holiday and need to be sure their loved one is being cared for appropriately and safely. Alternatively, it can be used to provide a break for a carer who may be exhausted supporting the person entering respite.
- There are many options for travelling or going on holiday both locally and further afield, which provide some form of respite or support for persons who need special or professional support. Taking a holiday may allow carers to have a break and often we see considerable mental and physical improvements in persons who are able to take a holiday.
All forms of respite must consider the person who is accessing respite as not all forms are appropriate for everyone. We help you understand what is available locally as well as what would be appropriate for the person accessing respite.