Respite care
Respite care means taking a break from caring, while the person you care for is looked after by someone else.
Taking a short break from your caring role can allow you to recharge your batteries and focus a bit more on yourself.
If the person you look after has completed an assessment with the council you may be entitled to support in taking a break.
The amount of the personal budget to be used for respite care will depend on the level of need of the person you look after.
This respite element of the personal budget can be spent flexibly to suit the needs of you and the person you look after. Some of the forms of support which you might want to consider include:
- support in a care home where the person you are looking after goes for a short stay
- a 'short break' if the person you look after has a learning disability
- a day-sitting service, where a home carer supports the person you look after, and allows you to take a break to go shopping, meet up with friends, or have time for yourself
- night care where someone stays at your home to keep an eye on the person you look after, and allow you to get a good night's sleep
- day care, where the person you are looking after goes to a day centre or takes part in activities away from home allowing you a break from caring
- help and support when you want to go on holiday by yourself or with the person you care for.
Short breaks for people with a learning disability
A short break means that people with learning disabilities who live at home with their families can go and stay somewhere else for a short period of time.
This allows carers and other family members to take a short break from their caring role.
The person with a learning disability will stay in specialist accommodation and will have their care and support needs met by full trained staff.
During a stay staff will also help the person to use and develop the skills they need for everyday life, and to become as independent as possible.
Generally short breaks are planned, however, there will be some emergency short breaks.
The purpose and aims of short breaks are to:
- be beneficial to both the customer and their relative or carer
- be supportive of family life and enable people to remain living at home
- avoid crisis and so ensure the best use of long term residential care resources
- enable families to spend time with other family members and to have time and space to pursue their own interests
- introduce opportunities and variety for social interaction for customers.
Short breaks in Hammersmith and Fulham are usually arranged at Rivercourt Road.
How to access the service at Rivercourt Road
Contact the learning disability service social workers and tell them you think you need a break.
You will then be assessed to see if you are eligible for an allocation of respite care.
The Learning Disabilities team is based at:
Parkview Centre for Health and Wellbeing
Cranston Court, 56 Bloemfontein Road, London W12 7FG
Further information
NHS - Carers' breaks and respite care
Which? - What is respite care?
Carers Trust - Getting a break
You can find out more about local support available to carers on our information and support for carers page.