General information only — not medical advice.

What Is Respite Care? In Plain Words

This page explains respite care in plain words. It uses only official sources: the National Institute on Aging (NIA), the Administration for Community Living (ACL), the ARCH National Respite Network and Resource Center, and Medicare.gov. The sources are listed at the bottom of this page.

Short answer

The National Institute on Aging says respite care provides short-term relief for primary caregivers. It gives them time to rest, travel, or spend time with other family and friends.

The care may last anywhere from a few hours to several weeks at a time.

Respite care can take place at home, in a health care facility, or at an adult day care center.

What respite care is

The NIA says respite care provides short-term relief for primary caregivers, giving them time to rest, travel, or spend time with other family and friends.

The ARCH National Respite Network and Resource Center says it this way: “Respite is a service that provides a temporary break from caregiving for the family caregiver.”

The Administration for Community Living (ACL) says respite care can be both planned and emergency-based. It is extended to individuals needing assistance, to temporarily relieve the family caregivers.

The NIA says caregiving is not easy — not for the caregiver and not for the person receiving care. The NIA says it is critical for caregivers to ask for help and take a break when they need it.

How long respite care can last

The NIA says the care may last anywhere from a few hours to several weeks at a time.

The NIA's Alzheimer's caregiving page says the same thing in other words. Respite services provide short-term care. The care may last anywhere from a few hours to several weeks at a time.

Where respite care can take place

The NIA says respite care can take place at home, in a health care facility, or at an adult day care center.

ARCH says respite options may be in-home and out-of-home. ARCH says formal and informal options may exist in a locality.

ARCH says some respite programs may use an available bed in a health care facility. That is for families who require extended respite options. ARCH says other respite programs may only offer time-limited services, of a few hours, in the family's home.

ARCH lists adult day services as one model. ARCH says adult day service centers provide a break — respite — to the caregiver. The centers also provide health services, therapeutic services, and social activities for the person receiving care.

Who provides respite care

The NIA says that, in some cases, family, friends, or volunteers can step in to provide respite care.

The NIA says there are also professionals who offer these services.

ARCH says respite may be available through formal programs that hire and train their staff. ARCH says respite may also be available through informal networks. ARCH gives these examples of informal networks: volunteer or faith-based initiatives, parent cooperatives, or cash subsidies from states to purchase respite through relatives and friends.

The NIA says a primary caregiver is the person who takes on most of the everyday responsibilities of caring for someone else.

Who respite care helps

The NIA says respite care is relief for primary caregivers.

ACL says respite supports family caregivers of children and adults across all age groups, disabilities, and chronic conditions.

ACL says respite services can contribute to healthier families and the health and well-being of caregivers and care recipients.

ARCH says respite services can be beneficial, meaningful, and enjoyable to both the caregiver and the care recipient.

ARCH says respite will be most helpful if it is used before a caregiver becomes exhausted, isolated, and overwhelmed by responsibilities. ARCH says it is important for caregivers to plan ahead, if possible, to access intermittent breaks from caregiving.

How the sources say to find respite care

This section lists only the routes the sources themselves give.

The ARCH National Respite Locator Service

The NIA says: to find respite care programs in your area, visit the ARCH National Respite Locator Service. The NIA says this tool enables a search for local respite resources. The NIA lists state-sponsored programs, adult day care centers, and services for veterans as examples.

ARCH says a person can search the ARCH National Respite Locator Service to find a respite provider nearby. ARCH also says a person can contact a State Respite Coalition or Lifespan Respite program for help.

The Eldercare Locator

ACL says the Eldercare Locator connects older adults, families, and caregivers to trusted local resources. ACL lists respite support among those resources. ACL prints this phone number for the Eldercare Locator: 800-677-1116.

The NIA's Alzheimer's caregiving page gives the same route for respite services. It says to use the Administration for Community Living (ACL) or call 800-677-1116.

ARCH also lists the Eldercare Locator as a place to check. ARCH also lists the No Wrong Door System.

For more information from the NIA page

The NIA's respite care page lists the ARCH National Respite Network and Resource Center for more information about respite care. The phone number printed on that NIA page is 703-256-2084. The website printed on that NIA page is www.archrespite.org.

The NIA information number printed on the NIA pages used for this page is 800-222-2225.

What the NIA says about the costs of respite care

This section is general cost information only. It reports what the NIA states. It does not decide what any one person would pay.

The NIA says respite care provided by a friend, relative, or volunteer may have no associated costs.

The NIA says professional services charge by the hour or by the number of days or weeks that services are provided.

The NIA says most private health insurance plans do not cover the costs of respite care.

The NIA says some long-term care insurance plans may have coverage for this service.

The NIA says Medicaid also may provide payment assistance.

The NIA says a person must pay all costs not covered by insurance or government programs.

ARCH has a page called “How to Pay for Respite.” That page lists possible federal, state, and private funding sources. ARCH states on that page that the list is by no means exhaustive.

Medicare and respite care in hospice — hospice only

This section is only about hospice care. It does not describe respite care outside hospice.

The NIA states it this way: “For a person receiving hospice care, Medicare will cover most of the cost for up to five consecutive days of respite care in a hospital or skilled nursing facility.”

Medicare.gov words the hospice respite cost this way: “You may pay 5% of the Medicare-approved amount for inpatient respite care (short-term care to help give caregivers a rest). Your copayment can't be more than the inpatient deductible amount.”

Medicare.gov also states, about room and board in hospice: “If the hospice team determines that you need short-term inpatient or respite care services that they arrange, Medicare will cover your stay in the facility.”

ARCH words the hospice point this way: the hospice respite care benefit covers up to five consecutive days at a time. ARCH says care must take place in a Medicare-certified hospital, skilled nursing facility, or inpatient hospice facility. ARCH says Medicare does not cover all the costs for this benefit.

Helping a caregiver you know

The NIA gives these general ideas for helping a primary caregiver get rest.

The NIA says a person may be able to lighten the primary caregiver's load by providing occasional respite care.

The NIA says to ask the primary caregiver how you can be most helpful. The NIA says if they don't accept the first time, don't be afraid to ask again later.

Sources

Every fact on this page comes from one of these official pages. Each one was read in full.

Checked November 2026.

General information only — not medical advice.