Respite care — for carers and the people they care for

What it is

Respite supports include in-home respite (a worker comes to you), centre-based day respite, and residential respite (short stays in an aged-care home).

In-home respite means a worker comes to the home so the usual carer can step away for a few hours. The routine stays familiar: the same kitchen, the same chair, the same view out the window. It often suits people who find new environments unsettling, or carers who only need a short, regular window to run errands, attend their own appointments or simply rest.

Day respite is centre-based. The person attends a program away from home during the day and returns in the evening. Days are usually built around company, activities, a shared meal and conversation, and some people come to look forward to the same day each week as much as the carer values the break.

Overnight respite covers arrangements that extend past the evening, either in the home or elsewhere, so a carer can sleep through, travel or manage a commitment that cannot be done in a few hours.

Residential respite is a short stay in an aged-care home. It is often used when a carer needs a longer break, when travel is unavoidable, or after a change at home has made the usual arrangement harder to sustain for a period. Formats can also be combined over time — a weekly day program alongside occasional short stays, for example. What is offered varies between providers and areas, so it is worth confirming details directly with any provider you are considering.

Who it's for

Family carers who need a break, and the older Australians they care for.

Respite care is used by family carers at very different points. Some are managing well and want a regular, planned break so they can keep going comfortably. Others reach out when something has shifted — their own health, work hours, a hospital stay, or the amount of support now needed each day. Booking a break is a practical step, not a sign that a carer is falling short.

For the person being cared for, respite can be its own experience rather than only a gap in the usual routine. A day program may mean conversation, activities and a change of scenery; a short stay may mean meeting new people and being supported by a different team. Some people take to it quickly, and others prefer to start small with a short in-home visit and build from there.

It can also help to think about who else is involved: a partner, adult children, a nominee, or a coordinator already helping with arrangements. Agreeing early on who organises bookings and who the provider should contact tends to make the process smoother for everyone.

Planning ahead is usually easier than arranging something at short notice. Many carers find it useful to think a few months out — school holidays, a family event, a medical procedure or a period of extra work — and to talk with a provider before the date is close, so the person being cared for has time to get used to the idea and to the people involved.

Home Care Package pathway

Some respite is funded through a Home Care Package; some is funded directly by the government once you've been assessed.

CHSP pathway

CHSP also funds some forms of in-home and centre-based respite, depending on assessment.

How My Care Link Australia helps

We connect you with respite providers in your suburb — including residential respite options when overnight stays are needed.

You tell us what you are looking for — the suburb, the kind of respite care you have in mind, the days or dates that would work, and anything that matters about routines, mobility, communication or language. There is no cost to families for using our service.

We then look for providers who may suit and share what we find, so you can approach them directly and ask your own questions. We do not assess anyone, decide eligibility or speak for providers about their availability, so we cannot promise a match or a booking. Our role is to save you the hours usually spent ringing around, and the decision about who to engage stays entirely with you.

If you would rather talk it through first, you can call us, or use the enquiry form below and we will come back to you.

In-home respite care

In-home respite care keeps everything where it already is. A support worker comes to the house so the usual carer can leave for a few hours, or simply rest in another room. Nothing about the surroundings changes — the same kitchen, the same chair, the same routine at the same time of day — which often matters most for someone who finds unfamiliar places unsettling.

Visits are typically shaped around what the person is used to: help with a shower or getting dressed, preparing a meal, prompts and reminders, light tasks around the house, or company and conversation. Some families book the same few hours each week so the break is predictable; others use it as needed.

What a particular service covers, how long a visit runs and how bookings are arranged differ between providers, so confirm those details with any provider you are considering.

Residential respite care

Residential respite care is a short stay in an aged-care home rather than a permanent move. Carers often look into it when a break needs to be longer than a few hours — travel, their own health, a family commitment, or a stretch where the usual arrangement at home has become harder to sustain.

During a stay, support is provided by the home's staff, with meals, accommodation and daily assistance handled on site. Some people use a short stay as a way to see how a home feels before making any longer-term decisions; others use it occasionally, planned around the year ahead.

Stays are arranged in advance and length varies. Whether a home has room, what a stay involves, what it costs and how bookings work are questions for the home itself, and any assessment or funding matters should be confirmed with the relevant government service.

Day and overnight respite care services

Day respite is centre-based. The person attends a program away from home during the day and comes back in the evening. Days usually revolve around company, activities and a shared meal, and many people come to look forward to the same day each week as much as their carer values the few hours off.

Overnight respite covers arrangements that carry on past the evening — either with support in the home or as a stay elsewhere — so a carer can sleep through the night, travel, or manage something that cannot be fitted into daytime hours.

The two are often combined: a regular day program through the week, with an occasional overnight arrangement when a longer break is needed. Programs, hours, transport and what each service includes vary between providers and areas, so it is worth asking directly before you commit.