Respite care gives a family caregiver a break. Someone else looks after the person for a few hours, a day or a short stay, so the caregiver can rest, work, see a doctor or get away. Medicare does not cover regular respite, except during hospice care. Other sources are Medicaid home and community-based services, VA programs, some local caregiver programs and private payment.
This guide explains the types of respite care, who it helps, how to arrange it, how it is paid for and how to choose a provider. Carevo is a directory. It does not provide care or vouch for providers.
What respite care is
The Alzheimer's Association says respite care gives caregivers a temporary break while the person they care for keeps receiving care in a safe setting, and that its purpose is to support the caregiver's ability to keep caring over time. It adds that the person receiving care can benefit from interacting with others and taking part in suitable activities.
Respite is defined by its purpose, not by a single service. The same caregiver, adult day program or care community can be respite when it gives a family caregiver relief. For family caregivers who have been doing everything alone, a regular break is often what makes it possible to keep going. The caregiver burnout quiz and our guide on caregiver burnout signs and help are a good place to start if you are not sure you need one.
The main types of respite care
The Alzheimer's Association lists three settings. VA and Medicare describe versions of the same ideas.
In-home respite. A friend, relative, volunteer or paid worker comes to the house. The Alzheimer's Association says services can include companionship and supervised activities, help with bathing and dressing, household tasks like meals and laundry, or skilled care for medications and medical needs. The person stays in familiar surroundings. See home care, companion care and personal care.
Adult day centers. The person attends a daytime program with planned activities such as music and art, often with meals and transportation included. See adult day care.
Short stays in a care community. Some long-term care communities offer overnight stays lasting a few days or several weeks, which gives caregivers an extended break. See assisted living, memory care and nursing homes. The Alzheimer's Association says overnight long-term care costs vary and are usually not covered by insurance or Medicare.
Hospice respite. Under Medicare hospice, the hospice team can arrange a short inpatient stay to give the family caregiver a break. See hospice care.
Who respite care helps
- Spouses and adult children who provide most of the daily care for someone with dementia, frailty or a disability.
- Caregivers who need time for their own health, work, other family members or rest.
- Families preparing for a planned event, such as surgery or travel.
- Caregivers who have reached a point where they feel worn down. A doctor can talk through options if you are struggling.
- Caregivers of a person on hospice care.
How to arrange respite care: five steps
- Decide the length of the break. A few hours points to in-home or day program respite. Days or weeks point to a stay in a care community.
- Choose the setting that suits the person. The Alzheimer's Association says that if the person struggles with new settings, regular short stays can make adjusting easier.
- Find providers. Ask the person's doctor and your Area Agency on Aging. The Eldercare Locator (1-800-677-1116) connects you to local agencies on aging and community-based programs. The Alzheimer's Association points to its free Community Resource Finder. Browse respite providers on Carevo by state and city.
- Try it before you need it. The Alzheimer's Association recommends trying a provider in a non-emergency situation, so you are prepared if an urgent need arises.
- Book the next break before you need it. Regular, planned respite is easier to arrange than a last-minute request. Keep the medical team's contact information and a current medication list, with doses and frequency, where a stand-in can find them.
Matching respite to your situation
The right kind of break depends on why you need it.
- You need a regular few hours each week. In-home respite or an adult day program is usually the simplest fit. A steady weekly slot also lets the person get used to the same worker or the same center.
- You have a planned event, such as surgery, travel or a family occasion. A short stay in a care community, or live-in help for a few days, may fit better. The Alzheimer's Association says some communities offer overnight stays lasting a few days or several weeks, and that these should be tried before an urgent need arises. See live-in care.
- The person has dementia. Ask each provider about dementia training. The Alzheimer's Association says regular short stays can make adjusting to a new setting easier. See dementia care at home.
- The person is on hospice. Talk to the hospice team. Medicare covers respite care that the hospice team arranges, so the team is the place to start.
- You are a Veteran's family caregiver. Ask the VA social worker about respite for the Veteran, and whether the caregiver program applies to you.
- You cannot get away yet. Start with help inside the home so you can rest, such as a few hours of companion care while you sleep or see a doctor.
Making the break work
A break helps most when you use it for yourself. A few things make it easier to switch off. Leave a short written note with the daily routine, medications the person takes (with doses and frequency) and the doctor's number. Give the worker your mobile number and a second contact. Tell the person what is happening and when you will be back. Then do something for yourself, even if it is only sleep. If the first break goes badly, change the length or the provider rather than stopping. The Alzheimer's Association says seeking help is not a failure.
How respite care is paid for
Medicare. Medicare.gov says Medicare does not pay for long-term care. The exception is hospice. Medicare covers short-term inpatient or respite care that the hospice team arranges, and you may pay 5% of the Medicare-approved amount, with the copayment capped at the inpatient deductible amount. Medicare home health covers part-time skilled care and aide help only while skilled care is also needed, so it is not a regular source of respite. See the Medicare guide.
Medicaid. Medicaid.gov lists respite care among the services a 1915(c) home and community-based waiver can offer, along with adult day health, homemaker, home health aide and personal care. States choose how many people a waiver serves, and eligibility, services and waiting times differ by state. Some states let participants self-direct. Call your state Medicaid agency or Area Agency on Aging. See Medicaid and long-term care, the state programs and paid family caregiver.
VA. VA says its respite care pays for someone to come into the Veteran's home, or for the Veteran to attend an adult day health care program, so the family caregiver can take a break. Nursing home respite, in a VA Community Living Center or community nursing home, should be scheduled in advance. All enrolled Veterans may be eligible if they meet the clinical criteria and the service is available, services vary by location, and a copay may apply. Primary family caregivers in VA's Program of Comprehensive Assistance for Family Caregivers get respite care of at least 30 days per year. Ask a VA social worker. See VA benefits.
Medicare's GUIDE dementia model. CMS runs a voluntary model called GUIDE for Medicare patients with dementia and their caregivers. Participating programs provide care navigation, a 24/7 support line, caregiver training and respite, which CMS describes as temporary relief that includes in-home care, adult day programs and facility-based respite. CMS says respite is capped at a set dollar amount each year per eligible patient. It is not available everywhere, and you need a participating program, so ask the person's doctor whether one serves your area. See dementia care.
Long-term care insurance. A policy may help pay for respite. Whether yours does depends on the policy. Call the insurer and ask. See long-term care insurance.
Private pay and local help. Many families pay privately. The Alzheimer's Association suggests asking providers about scholarships, sliding-scale fees and government programs, and contacting your local chapter. See private pay.
What drives the cost
Carevo does not publish a price for respite care. What moves the bill:
- Setting. Hourly in-home care, a day program and an overnight stay are priced differently.
- Length. Hours, days or weeks.
- Level of care. Personal care, medication help or nursing are priced differently from company and supervision.
- Agency or independent. An agency's rate covers the worker's pay and its own costs. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports a national median wage of $17.21 an hour for home health and personal care aides in May 2025. That is what aides are paid, not what an agency charges.
- Funding rules. A program may pay only certain providers, up to set limits.
How to choose a respite provider
- Describe the person. Care needs, routines, health conditions, behavior, what calms them, what upsets them. A one-page note helps any provider.
- Ask about training. The Alzheimer's Association says to ask about training and qualifications, and that agency and care community staff are often certified. If hiring independently, it says to interview the person thoroughly and check references.
- Visit and meet. For a day program or community, visit. For in-home, meet the worker before the first break.
- Start short. A first break of a couple of hours lets the person adjust and lets you see how it goes.
- Check the terms. Rates, minimums, cancellation, and what happens if the person has a bad day.
Questions to ask
- What does a typical respite visit or day look like?
- What training do the staff have, including dementia care and first aid?
- How are staff screened?
- Can the same worker come each time?
- What is your plan if the person is distressed, falls or becomes unwell? Who do you call?
- Do you accept Medicaid, VA or insurance payments?
- Is there a minimum length, and what is the cancellation policy?
- How far ahead do I need to book, and can you help at short notice?
Red flags
- The provider cannot describe how it handles a medical or behavioral problem.
- No written agreement, or terms that change after you sign.
- A provider that will not let you visit or meet the worker.
- Pressure to pay a large amount up front.
- You feel guilty about taking a break and a provider plays on it. The Alzheimer's Association says seeking help is not a failure and that respite benefits both the caregiver and the person with dementia.
Next steps
- Take the caregiver burnout quiz if you are not sure how much you are carrying.
- Call your Area Agency on Aging through the Eldercare Locator (1-800-677-1116).
- Test hours in the home care hours cost calculator.
- Tell us what you need and we will show providers in your area. You decide who to call.