Respite caregiver jobs: short-term care that gives family caregivers a break

A respite caregiver takes over the care of a person for a short time so the family member or other unpaid caregiver can rest. The care itself can be the same work as a personal care aide or home health aide does. What makes it respite is the purpose and the short-term nature. Training depends on the job and the program, and states add their own rules.

BLS has no occupation called respite caregiver. The work falls under personal care aides, home health aides and, in some programs, other roles. See personal care aide, home health aide and companion caregiver.

What respite care is and who pays

Federal sources describe respite in a few places:

• Medicare hospice. Medicare.gov describes inpatient respite care as short-term care to help give caregivers a rest. Under 42 CFR 418.108, inpatient care for respite purposes must be provided by a hospice-specified provider or by a Medicare or Medicaid-certified nursing facility that meets the rule's standards, and the facility must provide 24-hour nursing services that meet the nursing needs of all patients. Medicare.gov says you may pay 5% of the Medicare-approved amount, up to a cap.
• Medicaid waivers. Medicaid.gov lists respite care among the standard services in 1915(c) home and community-based services waivers, along with case management, homemaker and personal care. States choose which waiver services to offer and for whom.
• Older Americans Act programs. 45 CFR 1321.3 defines in-home supportive services to include respite care for families, including adult day care.

Carevo does not describe state respite programs. Ask your state Medicaid agency and your local Area Agency on Aging what is funded where you live.

What respite caregivers do

The job takes the shape of the person's needs. BLS says home health and personal care aides monitor the condition of people with disabilities or chronic illnesses and help with daily living. Typical tasks include bathing and dressing, housekeeping, meal preparation, transportation and keeping clients socially engaged. BLS says personal care aides are generally limited to nonmedical services, while home health aides may take vital signs and help with medication under the direction of a nurse or other practitioner, as state rules allow. It says aides may work with one client "for a specific purpose, such as hospice care."

Where respite caregivers work

BLS lists clients' homes, group homes, care communities and day services programs as aide workplaces. Respite can also happen in a facility, such as a nursing facility that provides hospice respite. See respite care, adult day care and home care providers in your state to see who operates near you.

Training and certification

BLS says home health and personal care aides typically need a high school diploma or equivalent, and some positions do not require a formal credential. Training is on the job or through a program and usually covers personal hygiene, vital signs, infection control and basic nutrition. Some employers ask for first aid and CPR.

If the respite is arranged through a Medicare-certified home health agency or hospice, the aide must meet the federal training rules, including at least 75 hours of classroom and supervised practical training or another route the rule allows. See home health aide and hospice aide.

States add their own rules. Carevo does not guess at state requirements. Ask your state board of health, your local Area Agency on Aging and each employer what training and background checks they require.

Respite caregiver pay

BLS does not publish a respite caregiver wage. For home health and personal care aides together (SOC 31-1120), it reports a national median wage of $17.21 an hour, or $35,800 a year, for the May 2025 reference period. These are wages paid to workers and national, so pay in your state, program and setting can be higher or lower.

How to find respite caregiver jobs

Browse respite care, home care and adult day care providers in your state, then contact the ones near you. Ask whether you would be an employee or a contractor, how shifts are scheduled and what training the program requires. If you give respite to a relative and want to know whether you can be paid, see paid family caregiver programs.

Carevo is a connection platform. It is not an employer and it does not place workers.

Caregiver registration is coming to Carevo

Carevo is a connection platform. It is not an employer, it does not place workers and it does not guarantee work. Registration for caregivers is not open yet. If you want to hear when it is, email [email protected].