What is short-term respite care?
Respite care is a short-term care option that provides support for older people while their usual carer takes a break, attends to other commitments, recovers from illness, or simply has time to rest and recharge. It can also be helpful following a hospital stay when additional care is needed before returning home, or as a way to experience residential aged care before making a longer-term decision. At Estia Health, all of our homes offer residential respite care in a safe, welcoming and supportive environment.
During your stay, you'll be cared for by an experienced team of clinicians, carers and hospitality professionals who support all aspects of your care, including your clinical, social and overall wellbeing. You'll also have opportunities to enjoy nutritious meals, social connection and a range of daily activities tailored to your interests and preferences.
Respite care can be arranged in advance, with emergency respite also available when unexpected circumstances create an urgent need for support.
When a short-term stay becomes permanent
Doreen resides in one of our homes. Originally she came for a short respite stay before deciding to move in permanently.
Accessing short-term respite care and costs
To access government-supported respite care, you and your carer will need to undergo a face-to-face assessment with a qualified assessor (called an ACAT or ACAS assessment), which is a process to determine the level of care you require.
If you’re eligible for respite care, you can access subsidised respite care at a capped amount of days each financial year, which includes both planned and emergency residential respite care. This can be organised via the My Aged Care portal by applying for an assessment online or by calling 1800 200 422.
As a respite resident, you will be charged a basic daily care fee for each day you stay in our home, which is determined by the Australian Government and is set as 85% of a single aged pension. Each of our homes also offer a range of additional services for residents with a daily fee. For more information on residential aged care fees and costs, visit our understanding costs page or speak to a team member today on 1300 682 833.
I'm a carer
As an unpaid carer looking after a family member, friend or loved one, the ongoing responsibility and dedication can take its toll. Balancing caring responsibilities with work, family commitments and your own wellbeing can be challenging, and many carers experience stress, fatigue, isolation or burnout over time.
At Estia Health, we understand the important role carers play and we're here to support you. When the person you care for comes to stay with us for respite care, you can take a much-needed break to rest, recharge and focus on your own physical and mental wellbeing, while having peace of mind that they're receiving quality care in a safe and supportive environment.
During their stay, your loved one can enjoy social connection, nutritious meals prepared daily by our chefs, engaging lifestyle activities and around-the-clock support from our experienced nursing and care teams.
For any other carers support, you can talk to Carers Gateway, an Australian Government initiative providing a range of services for unpaid carers by visiting the Carers Gateway website or by calling 1800 422 737.
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For the second time in two years, the wonderful people at Estia Health Altona Meadows have nursed my husband back to health and he will be coming home soon. My deepest thanks to Cori, Liz and all the dedicated staff for their dedication and compassion.
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My 90 year old mum has just had 4 weeks respite stay and I must say I have not seen her look more happy. For myself as the only family carer the backup help and guidance from the administration team could not have been better. Plus from my mum's perspective she loved the care and attention she received everyday. They made her feel very much at home. Now back at home I am battling to keep up the standards set.
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I would like to personally thank everyone involved in taking my care of my mum during her emergency respite when she needed it most. The pressure relieved from myself and my whole family was immense and furthermore the quality of the care was far above the degree I expected and anticipated. All the carers were indeed so sensitive and kind. This whole experience has restored my faith in the entire system.
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Family
Frequently asked questions
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How do I find short-term respite care near me?
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Can I get dementia care as a respite resident?
When staying in one of our homes our experienced clinicians, carers and hospitality teams look after all aspects of a resident’s care, including clinical, social and overall wellbeing, and offer dementia and palliative care services, which can be accessed for short-term respite care or a longer stay.
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I need to access respite care urgently following an emergency situation
If you require emergency respite care, then we can help – we can accept residents on this basis without an ACAT assessment. Please call a member of our friendly team today on 1300 682 833. Alternatively, you can contact Carer Gateway on 1800 422 737.
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How do I know if I’m eligible for respite care?
To access government-supported respite care, you and your carer will need to undergo a face-to-face assessment with a qualified assessor (called an ACAT or ACAS assessment), which is a process to determine the level of care you require. This can be organised via the My Aged Care portal by applying for an assessment online or by calling 1800 200 422.
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How much respite care can I access in a year?
If you’re eligible for respite care, you can access up to 63 days of subsidised respite care in a financial year, which includes both planned and emergency residential respite care.
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What happens if I don’t qualify for subsidised respite care?
If you don’t qualify for subsidised care, you may have to pay for respite care yourself. This is called ‘self-funded’ respite and fees will vary between our different homes depending on the services we offer.
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How does respite care work?
Respite care provides short-term relief for primary caregivers. It can be arranged for just an afternoon or for several days or weeks. Care can be provided at home, in an aged care residence, or at an adult day centre. At Estia Health we provide respite care in all of our homes for days, weeks or months. You may also decide to change from respite care to permanent care.
When you think you may require respite, it is a good idea to try and book your spot in advance. And the best way to do this is to visit the home of your choice in advance. That way you can have a good look around and feel comfortable with your choice.
If, however you need immediate help with respite, you are able to book into most places straight away. All you will need to do is contact the home you are interested in and they will let you know if they have beds available.
Respite can be for a short time, or if the resident is comfortable and happy, it may end up being a great solution to stay and respite may end up being long term care. This is often the case for a lot of residents. However, it can also be a short term stay after an operation, fall, or when the caregiver is away and or needing a break.
Your accommodation and care costs may be partly or fully covered by the government which will be determined by a means assessment.
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Why is respite care important?
It may be hard to imagine leaving your loved one in someone else's care but taking a break can be one of the best things you can do for yourself — as well as the person you're caring for. There is nothing wrong with needing a break from the person you are looking after day-to-day. In fact, some time away from each other can be healthy and necessary. For carers, regular breaks can mean that they are better able to continue to provide their loved ones with quality care. Respite care also reduces the risk of abuse or neglect as caregivers are not as exhausted.
For families, respite can help improve the health and happiness of the family unit. Respite care also provides the opportunity for those entering the home to have the opportunity to meet new people (reducing feelings of isolation) participate in general lifestyle activities such as interacting in games, crafts, music, arts, bus outings, learning new skills just to name a few, which helps to increase their mental wellbeing. Additionally, your loved one gets to live alongside current aged care residents, which can help to ease their fears.
With respite care you have peace of mind that the health care needs of your loved one are being met and you can rest knowing your loved one is good hands. This includes 24/7 care, which can be particularly beneficial if your sleep is being affected by caring for someone at night, or you have a busy lifestyle and can’t be available as much as you’d like to be.
