A hard day’s work can take quite a bit out of you, and over time that physical and mental weariness can weigh you down. However, when a job or responsibility is constant (or near constant), and there are precious few opportunities to step away or take a break, it can become virtually unbearable. If self care is not prioritized, there is a real risk of neglecting your own needs, which can ultimately affect both your well-being and the care you provide to your loved ones or those you provide care for.

In the case of long-term care, it can be even worse: feeling like you need a break from caring for a loved one can seem like egotism and selfishness. However, self care is essential for caregivers and is not a sign of neglect. How well a caregiver is doing personally can have a direct impact on the quality of care they provide. Maintaining your own well being and quality of life is crucial for sustaining effective and compassionate care.

So what do you do when you work a job that doesn’t have holidays or PTO? Whether you’re providing informal care or working as a paid caregiver, the concern is the same, and the answer usually is too.

When caregivers need to tag out, respite care can provide them the temporary relief they need. And respite care programs can make it easier to access this valuable service when budgets are tight.

What Is Caregiver Respite?

Respite care is equivalent to having a coworker cover your shift, just applied to long-term care. These services can be in the form of home care aides, adult day cares, or short-term assisted living, among others. Whatever the arrangement, the idea is the same: handing the responsibility over to someone you can trust, so that you can take a break. Respite programs are specifically designed to support family caregivers by providing relief and ensuring the care recipient’s needs are met. The scope of respite care can vary, and may include assistance with daily activities, supervision, and sometimes limited medical support, depending on the program.

The catch is that many care recipients depend on unpaid care, provided informally by a family member, so any amount of respite care can mean adding to the financial burden. While some care recipients may qualify for coverage of respite care outright, similar to how they might qualify for long-term care coverage, not everyone does. Eligibility requirements for respite care programs vary and may depend on the care recipient’s needs, funding sources, and specific program criteria.

That’s where respite programs come in. Organizations across the country, and in some cases local to a state or community, have recognized these unique needs, and worked to set aside resources to help those who need it most. Family caregivers can find respite services through resources like the ARCH National Respite Network and local area agencies, which help connect them to community-based support. For families that meet the eligibility criteria, respite programs can offer assistance in sourcing respite care services and covering the costs, making it possible to finally step away and see to your own needs.

Developing a plan in advance for both expected and emergency situations ensures that family caregivers are prepared and that the care recipient’s needs are always met.

Who Qualifies for Respite Care Services?

Respite care can sound a lot like childcare or babysitter services. Even the term “adult day care” is evocative of this comparison. But respite care is designed almost exclusively with the elderly, aging adults, and disabled adults in mind. The care needs between these demographics may overlap to a degree, but there’s some logistical differences between helping a 4-year-old with hygiene and helping an 80-year-old with a memory condition with hygiene. Respite care programs also serve children and adults with special needs, including those with mental health challenges, providing tailored support for a wide range of ages and conditions.

So, broadly speaking, those who qualify for respite care are those who also fall under the purview of long-term caregivers. As for who qualifies for support and assistance programs, that will vary. Eligibility requirements may depend on the ages and specific needs of the person receiving care, such as whether they are children, adults, or individuals with special needs or mental health conditions. But if the person is a veteran, has a disability, is already receiving aid from programs like Medicaid and SNAP, or is otherwise dealing with significant hardships (including financial), there are likely options available to them.

Types of Respite Care Services

We’ve mentioned some already, but there are a number of different kinds of respite care, and which one suits your needs best will depend on what those needs are.

At-home care is, as the name implies, when the caregiver comes to you. This can be arranged through a home care agency, which provides professional caregivers to assist with daily tasks such as meal preparation, grocery shopping, and companionship. In-home respite care can offer short term relief for the primary caregiver, whether for a few hours or even several weeks, depending on the need. Informal support from friends can also help with these responsibilities, providing valuable breaks for caregivers.

Typically, this will either be part-time coverage (i.e. the respite provider covers part of the day, but does not stay onsite 24/7), or shift-based (i.e. multiple caregivers rotate out, similar to nurses at a hospital). With in-home care, getting partial coverage can allow the primary caregiver time to rest, to address other responsibilities, or otherwise get a break that their normal 24/7 supervision doesn’t allow for.

Shift-based care on the other hand will almost always be handled through an agency of some kind, and can allow the patient to stay in their own home without also requiring the primary caregiver to clock in when the respite provider ends their shift.

Adult day care centers, also known as adult day services, are, again, what their name implies. They are a service provided at a separate location, where patients can be left in the care of professionals for the day, before returning home to their primary caregiver in the evening. Care recipients can attend these programs, participate in social activities, and receive supervision, while caregivers get short term relief for a few hours of the day.

Residential services function a little more like a hotel stay. You stay onsite just as you would with assisted living or memory care centers. But rather than an assumption of ongoing services, a patient’s stay at residential respite care is temporary. Nursing home facilities are common settings for these services, offering options for overnight stays or even several weeks, depending on the caregiver’s needs. Some residential facilities focus exclusively on respite care (and some specialize further based on needs like memory care or limited mobility). In other cases, you can sign up for a temporary stay at long-term facilities.

When considering respite care, it’s helpful to visit facilities or programs in person, or explore their websites, to better understand the services offered and to plan for the best fit. Whether you need a few hours, overnight stays, or several weeks of support, respite care options are designed to provide caregivers with flexibility and relief from daily tasks.

Costs and Financial Assistance for Respite Programs

Costs for respite care vary by location, by care need, by length of service, and even by type of service. And we’ve discussed some of the cost considerations in depth in another article. But we’ll review some of the averages here for convenience.

According to Genworth’s Cost of Care Survey, here are the average costs for different types of respite care in 2025:

  • The national average cost for in-home care is about $35 per hour, roughly $220 for an 8-hour shift, or $1,400 for a 40-hour week.
  • Adult day care centers charge about $103 per day, making it less expensive on a day-by-day basis, if the respite is brief or intermittent.
  • Assisted living facilities charge an average of $200 per day, putting them in line with in-home care, but providing 24/7 service (and often including meals, activities, etc.).
  • Finally, for those needing more intensive care, nursing homes charge an average of $314 per day for a semi-private room and $361 for a private room.

There are often different rates for different durations, with residential facilities sometimes reducing rates for longer arrangements.

As for support and assistance programs, we’ve linked some in the sections above, but depending on your situation and circumstance, you may be eligible for various kinds of financial aid. This might include:

  • Respite care being included in aid you already receive for long-term care
  • Coverage through long term care insurance, which can help pay for ongoing or extended respite care needs
  • Reduced fees or partial coverage
  • Receiving services from volunteer caregiver programs
  • Accessing state-led resources like the lifespan respite program, which can help centralize support and funding for caregivers

In addition to financial assistance, it’s important to consider the benefits of respite care, such as emotional relief, physical support, and improved well-being for both caregivers and care recipients.

Getting the Support You Need

Long-term care represents some of the most difficult work, and most expensive services that most individuals ever have to handle. As a result, it’s common for families to do what they can to limit both the burden, and the costs, but those two efforts can often be mutually exclusive. 

When primary caregivers find themselves stretched to their limit, it can be overwhelming to consider pushing through even one more day. So be aware that you have options, and that you’re not alone.

Ensure a safe, happy home for your loved ones using the resources provided on our site. With the right information and careful consideration, you can make the best choice for your loved one’s care and well-being.