Respite care gives an older person and the person who cares for them a short break from their usual routine. It can last a few hours, a few days or a few weeks. It can happen at home, in the community or in an aged care home, and it can be planned well ahead or arranged in an emergency. Below you will find each type of respite care, how residential respite days are counted and a checklist for a first stay.
What respite care is and who it is for
Respite care is support for older people and their carers for short periods of time. A carer might use it to attend an appointment, take a trip, or simply rest. The older person gets care in the meantime, and often the chance to meet new people too.
Respite does not have to wait for a crisis. It can be planned ahead and booked more than once, so that caring stays manageable over time for both of you.
What you can use depends on your eligibility, your needs and the services available in your area. The details below follow the My Aged Care respite care page.
The kinds of respite
Respite at home (flexible respite)
A paid carer comes to the home so that the usual carer can take a break. It can run during the day or overnight. Respite at home is delivered under the Commonwealth Home Support Programme (CHSP) and the Support at Home program.
Day respite in the community
Community and centre-based respite runs during the day, at a day centre, club or community space. It is a chance to talk and spend time with other people, and it may include transport to and from the centre. It is also delivered under the CHSP and Support at Home.
Cottage respite
Cottage respite is an overnight or weekend stay in a centre or other community setting, rather than in someone’s home. It is usually taken for 2 to 3 days at a time and is delivered under the CHSP.
Residential respite in an aged care home
Residential respite is a short stay in an aged care home, usually for a few weeks at a time. It suits people who need help with most daily tasks. During the stay, you receive the same care and services as permanent residents, including a room, meals, laundry, social activities and help with personal care.
In rural and remote areas, the Multi-Purpose Service Program also offers residential respite. Respite through the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Flexible Aged Care Program is available at home, in the community or in an aged care home.
Emergency respite
Sometimes a carer cannot continue at short notice, because of a sudden illness, a death or another urgent situation. Emergency respite exists for these moments. For emergency respite at home or in the community, including in an aged care home, contact Carer Gateway.
Residential respite usually needs an assessment first. In an emergency, a person who has not been assessed may still be able to stay in an aged care home, and the provider can arrange an urgent assessment.
How many days of residential respite you can have
Residential respite is available for up to 63 days of subsidised care in a financial year. That total counts planned and emergency stays together.
The total can be extended by 21 days at a time with approval from your assessor. If you are already in respite and want to stay longer, speak to the aged care home before the current stay ends and it can arrange the extension. If you have used your 63 days and want another stay later, contact the assessment organisation that did your original assessment, or My Aged Care.
Keep your own tally of the days you have used. Once you reach 63 days in a financial year, you cannot start another residential respite stay until an extension is in place.
Different rules apply to two programs. People receiving care through the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Flexible Aged Care Program or the Multi-Purpose Service Program have no yearly limit on respite days; the length of stay is agreed with the provider.
Getting assessed for residential respite
An aged care assessment works out the types of care you may be eligible for, including residential respite. Your assessment also gives you a respite classification, which sets the level of subsidy the home receives and helps make sure your care matches your needs.
If you have not been assessed yet, the guide to what happens at an aged care assessment explains how to prepare. If you mainly need help at home, the guide to how the Commonwealth Home Support Programme works covers the home and community respite options in more detail.
Planning a first respite stay
Approval for respite does not guarantee a place. Not every aged care home offers residential respite, and those that do may not have room on the dates you want. A little planning makes the first stay smoother:
- Contact homes early and confirm they offer respite for your dates.
- Ask what the stay will cost you and get the answer in writing.
- Pack familiar items, such as photos, a favourite blanket or a radio, to help the room feel like your own.
- Write down routines, medications, food preferences and anything that settles or unsettles the person staying.
- Agree how the carer and family will stay in touch during the stay.
- Plan the return home, including who will help on the first day back.
Overnight absences during a residential respite stay are possible if you keep paying your agreed fees, but talk to the home first.
Respite for people living with dementia
People living with dementia can use the same respite options: at home, in the community or in an aged care home. Routine and familiarity often matter a great deal, so respite at home or a short, regular day program can be easier to start with than an overnight stay.
When you contact providers, ask how their staff support people living with dementia and how they handle the first visit. The My Aged Care Find a provider tool lets you search for services that offer specialised care. Provider24 also has a Dementia Care category.
Finding respite providers near you
You can search for respite providers on the My Aged Care Find a provider tool, which has filters for home, community and residential respite. On Provider24, the Respite Care and Aged Care Respite categories list businesses you can contact directly. Provider24 does not check or endorse listed businesses, so confirm availability, costs and approvals with each one.
This article is general information, not advice. My Aged Care or Carer Gateway can help with your own circumstances.
Frequently asked questions
How many weeks of respite care are you allowed?
For residential respite in an aged care home, you can have up to 63 days of subsidised care in a financial year, which is nine weeks. Planned and emergency stays count towards the same total. Your assessor can approve extensions of 21 days at a time.
How do you get respite care for a person living with dementia?
Start with an aged care assessment, which works out the respite types the person is eligible for. Then look for providers who offer respite and have experience supporting people living with dementia. In an emergency, contact Carer Gateway.
How much does respite care cost per day?
Respite care is subsidised by the government, and you may be asked to contribute towards the cost. How much you pay depends on the type of respite you use and the program it comes under. Ask each provider for their costs in writing, and check the current information on My Aged Care.
Do I need an assessment for respite care?
You need an aged care assessment for residential respite, and it also determines your eligibility for other aged care services. In an emergency, a person who has not been assessed may be able to stay in an aged care home while the provider arranges an urgent assessment.