Question 29 of 30
What is respite care and how do you access it?
Respite care is a temporary break from caring, for the carer or for the person being cared for. It can take the form of a short stay in a care home, day care sessions, or a temporary carer coming to the home. Carers have the right to a carer's assessment from the local council, which can identify the need for respite. Some respite is funded by the council. Respite is most effective when built into care arrangements regularly rather than used only in a crisis.
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Request a carer's assessment from the council even if you do not think you need one yet — it establishes your entitlement and makes accessing respite much faster when you do need it.
What changes the answer
- Whether the carer has had a carer's assessment
- Frequency and duration of respite needed
- Self-funding or council-funded