What is respite care?

Respite care is a service offered by Dale Care that enables primary caretakers to take a break from caring for a loved one by outsourcing care for a short period.

It’s important to take a break from caring if you are experiencing burn-out or are feeling overwhelmed. It’s important to remember that taking a period to recover doesn’t mean you’re letting down the person you look after. In fact, scheduling respite care could help you provide better care for a loved one, for longer.

How does respite care work?

If you need a break from caring for a loved one, the first step is finding a trusted local care company that offers high-quality care services to provide you with peace of mind during your absence.

Once you have contacted the local care team and feel assured that your loved one is in safe hands, you are able to book the respite care service for the desired period.

Trained carers will be able to replace the care that you would normally provide for your loved one so you can have a resting period to recover.

Respite care can come in many forms. What works best will depend on your circumstances and those of the person you care for.

What types of respite care are there?

Some types of respite care include:

1. At-home Respite Care

At-home respite care involves a trained carer looking after the person you typically care for in their home environment. Whether that means providing them with company, chores such as cooking and cleaning, or helping them get dressed or taking them on outings, Dale Care is able to provide a wide range of at-home respite services.

2. Adult Day Centres

Adult day centres offer social activities and outings for older people, and sometimes workshops and training. Some centres are able to arrange transport to and from the location.

Arrangements could be made for the person you care for to attend an activity group or day centre once a week, to give you a regular break from caring.

3. Residential care 

Some care homes can provide short-term care for the person you look after however, in many cases, loved ones prefer to remain in the comfort of their own homes, making at-home respite care a more appealing option.

How do I arrange respite care?

If you’re looking to arrange respite care, Dale Care can help.

Arranging respite care should be easy and stress free while providing a high-level of care in the absence of the primary caretaker.

If your assessment or the assessment for the person you care for shows you need respite care, you may be entitled to financial assistance from your local council.

Although you may be able to get financial support from the council to help you take a break, respite services are means-tested so you or the person you care for may have to contribute towards the cost.

Will a break from caring for a loved one impact my benefits entitlement?

Regulations regarding Carer’s Allowance is complex and specialist advice from the Carer’s Allowance Unit is highly recommended.

The basic rule is that recipients can receive their Carer’s Allowance for up to four weeks in any six-month period if there is a break period from caring.

If you are receiving any other benefits which include additional amounts for caring, these may also be affected.

Dale Care Respite Care

Whether you’re looking for long-term or short-term respite care, Dale Care has over 35 years experience of providing quality respite-care throughout the North East. Our experienced and compassionate care team will help you feel confident in trusting us with the care of your loved one.

To learn more about the respite care Dale Care offer, contact our friendly team today.