Types of Respite

Emergency Respite

This respite service is for immediate short-term needs of carers who can't continue their usual levels of care due to illness or crisis. 

If you want to arrange emergency respite care, call Carer Gateway on 1800 422 737. Carer Gateway can help you to arrange respite in an emergency. They can also talk to you about local respite and activities that may be available for you or the person you care for.

Planned Respite

This respite service is designed to be part of everyday life and a regular activity for the carer and the person for whom they care (care recipient). You can plan for when you require respite by choosing the following options:

1. In-home respite

This type of respite usually involves a paid respite worker who comes to your home so that the carer can go out for a few hours. Or, they may take the care recipient for an outing for a few hours while your the carer has a break. In-home respite can happen during the day or overnight.

2. Centre-based day respite

This type of respite care usually takes place at a day centre or club. It offers personalised structured activities, group activities or small group outings that gives the care-recipient a chance to talk to other people. Day respite often runs from 10am to 3pm and may include transporting the person to and from the centre-based day respite centre.

3. Overnight or weekend respite

Overnight care may be provided in a variety of settings. These include a respite house (‘cottage-style’ respite) or the home of a host family.

4. Community access respite

Community access respite provides activities to give the care recipient a social experience to encourage a sense of independence and social interaction and provides the carer with a break.

This may be provided to the care recipient individually or as part of a group setting. It may be provided during the day or in an overnight setting.

5. Residential respite care (short stays in aged care facilities)

If the care recipient needs help every day, they may need to have a short stay in an aged care home. This is called ‘residential respite care’, and can happen on a planned or emergency basis.

A carer might use this type of respite care to attend a wedding or other event, or go on a holiday. The carer may need some help if they are unwell or unable to provide care for any other reason. Once the carer is back, the care recipient will also return home.

Organising this type of respite care is a bit different to organising other types of respite services.

Planned time in a residential service gives both the Carer and the person cared for a break from their home and usual routines.

Using this type of respite service does requires an ACAT(Aged Care Assessment Team) assessment. Time limited stays may also be arranged in Residential Care Facilities for rehabilitation and recovery when an older person is first discharged from hospital.

For more information on Respite Services go to: www.carergateway.gov.au/respite  

To plan for respite care, contact the Carer Gateway on 1800 422 737.

What if the person I care for has been in hospital?

If the person you care for has been in hospital and are ready to be discharged, but still need more help than usual, they may benefit from transition care. Transition care provides short-term care that is focused on particular therapies such as:

• Physiotherapy (exercises, mobility, strength and balance)
• Occupational therapy (help to recover or maintain your physical ability)
• Speech therapy
• Services of a dietitian nutrition assessment, food and nutrition advice, dietary changes)
• Podiatry (foot care), as well as counselling and social work.

It aims to help the person become as independent as they can be after they have been in hospital, and provides extra support while they and their carer decide about the best place for them to live in the longer term.