Respite care is there to support you and your carer for short periods of time. It can give you both a break and can also give you the chance to meet new people.
What respite care looks like depends on your situation. It can be available for a few hours, a few days, or a few weeks. It can be provided in your home, the community or an aged care home.
Respite care is often planned in advance – for instance, if your carer is planning a trip or has an appointment to attend. However, it is also available in emergencies or unexpected situations.
If you need emergency respite care, please call the Carer Gateway on 1800 422 737.
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What types of respite care are available?
There are many different types of respite care available depending on your eligibility, needs, and services in your area.
Emergency respite care
If your carer is unexpectedly unable to care for you, emergency respite care can help. Situations where emergency respite care might be needed include:
- the death of a primary carer
- a major illness of a primary carer
- an urgent situation that makes it difficult for your carer to look after you.
If you need emergency respite care in your home or in the community (including an aged care home), contact the Carer Gateway on 1800 422 737. You may have to provide some information when you call. This is to make sure the right type of care can be provided.
Learn more about emergency respite with Carer Gateway.
Respite care at home
Respite at home is available during the day or overnight. It can be provided in your home and is also called flexible respite. It usually involves a paid carer coming to your home so that your usual carer can take a short break.
Respite at home is provided under the Commonwealth Home Support Program and Support at Home program.
Flexible respite care in your home is also available through the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Flexible Aged Care Program and through the Multi-Purpose Service Program.
Respite care outside your home
There are three types of respite care available outside your home.
Community and centre-based respite
Community and centre-based respite is available during the day. It gives you the opportunity to talk and interact with other people. It usually takes place at a day centre, club or community spaces in an aged care home. Day respite often runs from 10am to 3pm and may include transport to and from the centre.
Community and centre-based respite is provided under the Commonwealth Home Support Program and Support at Home program.
Respite care in the community is also available through National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Flexible Aged Care Program on an emergency or planned basis.
Cottage respite
Cottage respite is available overnight or over a weekend. It takes place in a centre or other community location, rather than in the home of the carer or host family. It can be taken for 2 to 3 days at a time.
Cottage respite is provided under the Commonwealth Home Support Program.
Cottage respite care is also available through Multi-Purpose Service Program and National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Flexible Aged Care Program on an emergency or planned basis.
Residential respite
Residential respite care takes place in an aged care home. It is best suited to people who need carer support for most tasks. It can be for a few weeks at a time.
You need an assessment to determine your eligibility for residential respite. However, if you haven’t had an assessment, in an emergency you may be able to access residential respite care in an aged care home. In these cases, your provider can arrange an urgent assessment for you.
In rural and remote areas, the Multi-Purpose Service Program also provides residential respite care.
Respite care can also be provided on an emergency or planned basis in an aged care home through National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Flexible Aged Care Program.
Learn more about what you can do if you’re approved for residential respite care.
How does residential respite work?
When you receive residential respite, you are entitled to the same care and support services as permanent residents of the aged care home. For example, you will be given a room and everyday-type services such as meals, laundry and social activities, as well as help with your personal and care needs.
Based on your aged care assessment, you will receive a respite classification. This will determine the level of respite subsidy your provider will receive, and ensure you receive care appropriate to your needs.
How much residential respite can I access?
Residential respite is available for up to 63 days of subsidised care in a financial year. This includes both planned and emergency residential respite care. It is possible to extend this by 21 days at a time, with further approval from your assessor.
There are two ways to organise this:
- If you are in respite and would like to extend your stay, the aged care home can arrange it for you. You will need to speak with the aged care home before your current respite stay finishes.
- If you’re not currently in respite, but have already accessed 63 days and would like to arrange another stay, you can call:
- the assessment organisation that completed your initial assessment, or
- My Aged Care on 1800 200 422.
It is important that you keep a tally of the number of residential respite days you have used. If you have used your 63 days in a financial year, you cannot access residential respite until you have a 21-day extension in place.
There is no limit to the number of respite care days available per year to someone receiving aged care services through the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Flexible Aged Care (NATSIFAC) Program or the Multi-Purpose Service Program (MPSP). The length of stay is negotiated directly with the NATSIFAC or MPSP provider.
Can I leave my aged care home overnight during my respite stay?
There are no formal leave provisions for residential respite. However, you can have a temporary overnight absence from your respite stay, if you are willing to continue paying your agreed fees. You should talk to your provider first and agree on how long you can be away. If you are admitted into hospital during your respite stay, the arrangements above still apply. You should talk to your doctors about the length of your hospital stay. If it is likely to go past the end of your respite episode, you may wish to consider ending your respite stay to avoid unnecessary costs.
How do I access respite care?
An aged care assessment determines the type of care and services you may be eligible for.
Using our online tool, you can check if you meet the requirements for an assessment before you decide to apply for one.
How do I find a respite care provider?
You can look for providers who offer respite care services using the Find a provider tool. Use the filters in the tool to narrow your search.
- If you’re looking for help at home, you can filter for Community cottage respite and Home or community general respite in the Services section.
- If you’re looking at aged care homes, you can filter for Respite in the Care type section.
If you are looking for residential respite care, it’s important to remember that not all aged care homes offer residential respite or may not have room to take in temporary residents. Your approval for respite care does not guarantee a place.
You can see aged care homes offering residential respite care using the search options in the Find a provider tool. You should contact your preferred provider to confirm availability for your expected stay dates.
What will respite care cost me?
You may be asked to contribute to the cost of your care and services. How much you pay will depend on the type of respite care you receive.
Learn more about the different types of respite care fees.