Respite care
Respite Care That Gives Family Carers Time to Rest
Reliable, flexible care at home so you can take a break from caring, while the person you support continues to receive the help they need.
Caring for someone you love can be rewarding, but it can also be demanding. There are times when you may need a few hours to yourself, a regular break each week, time for an appointment, a family commitment, work, rest, or simply some space to recharge.
Respite care from Care & Carers provides temporary support in the person's own home, built around their usual routines, preferences and care needs. You can take time away knowing there is a trained carer there to provide agreed support.
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Flexible Support
Respite care can be arranged around individual circumstances and the care required.
Care at home
The person receiving support can remain in familiar surroundings and routines.
Personalised care
We plan support around the individual's needs, preferences and usual day.
Support for the whole family
Respite care gives family carers time away while maintaining continuity for the person they support.
what is respite care?
A planned break, not a change of routine
Respite care is temporary care that gives a family member or other unpaid carer a break from their usual caring responsibilities.
Instead of moving the person receiving care somewhere unfamiliar, respite care can be provided in their own home. The support may be needed because you have an appointment, want to spend time with other family members, need to work, are going away, or simply need time to rest.
For some families, respite care is occasional. For others, a regular planned break becomes an important part of making a caring arrangement sustainable. Your respite care is planned around the person receiving support: their routines, preferences, abilities and care needs.
Respite care is for carers too
Your own needs matter too
When most of your attention is focused on the person you care for, your own needs can easily move to the bottom of the list. Taking a break doesn't mean stepping away from your responsibilities. It can mean having enough time to:
Rest and recharge
Spend time with your partner, children or friends
Run errands without rushing
Attend a family occasion
Take a short break or holiday
Attend your own appointments
Go to work
Take part in an activity you enjoy
Sleep or recover when you're unwell
Simply have some time to yourself
Respite care can make it easier to continue caring over the longer term without every part of life having to revolve around the caring role.
A useful reminder
You don't need to wait until things feel unmanageable before asking for support.
who is respite care for?
Support built around unpaid carers and the people they support
Respite care may be helpful where someone is being supported at home by a family member, partner, friend or other unpaid carer. It could be suitable where the person receiving care:
Has reduced mobility
Would benefit from companionship and reassurance
Needs help with personal care
Cannot safely be left alone for the period required
Needs support with medication
Is living with dementia
Needs help with meals or everyday tasks
Has an established routine that is best maintained at home
It may also be useful after a change in circumstances, for example when a family carer is unwell, has an appointment, or needs temporary additional support. Every situation is different, so we'll discuss what the person needs before agreeing the care.
What a respite carer can help with
Support that reflects what normally happens when you're there
Personal Care
Help with washing, dressing, toileting and other agreed personal routines.
Mobility
Support moving around the home and using agreed mobility equipment safely.
Medication
Appropriate medication support according to the person's care plan and assessed needs.
Meals & drinks
Preparing food and drinks and supporting usual mealtime routines.
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Dementia support
Maintaining familiar routines and providing personalised support where someone is living with dementia.
Getting out and about
Support with agreed activities or appointments where this forms part of the care arrangement.
Companionship
Conversation, reassurance and spending time together doing familiar activities.
Everyday household tasks
Help with agreed light household activities associated with the person's care.
the aim
It is not to introduce an entirely different routine when you leave. It is to help the person's day continue as normally and comfortably as possible.
Familiar surroundings, familiar comfort
For many people, home is where they feel most comfortable. Providing respite care in familiar surroundings means the person receiving care can remain with their own possessions, routines, pets and environment while their usual carer takes time away.
This can be especially important for someone who finds changes in surroundings difficult or who benefits from consistency. Our respite service is designed around each person's individual routines and preferences rather than a standard package.
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How respite care works
Five steps, planned around the person
1
Talk to us
Tell us about the person you care for, the support you normally provide and the type of break you need. You don't need to know exactly what to request.
2
We understand the care required
We discuss needs, routines, preferences and any risks. Where appropriate, we arrange an assessment.
3
We agree the respite care
We set out what support is required while you're away and make sure the carer understands the agreed routines.
4
You take your break
The carer provides the agreed support while you use the time in whatever way you need.
5
We review when necessary
If respite becomes regular or the person's needs change, the arrangement can be reviewed.
Respite care for someone living with dementia
Time Away, Without Losing What's Familiar
Caring for someone living with dementia can require a great deal of time, attention and patience. It may also be difficult to step away if you're concerned about how the person will respond to someone unfamiliar.
We take time to understand the person, including their routines, preferences, communication and the things that help them feel comfortable. Where respite care is appropriate, a carer can provide familiar activities, companionship, support with everyday routines and other agreed care while you have time away.
Where a person has more substantial or changing dementia‑related needs, we can discuss the most appropriate level of care.
A familiar routine matters
Good respite care isn't just simply "someone there"
The carer needs to understand how the person usually spends their day. That might include:
When they prefer to get up
Medication routines
How they like personal care to be provided
Preferred ways of communicating
What usually provides reassurance
Meals and drinks they enjoy
Favourite programmes or activities
Mobility needs
What can make them anxious
The more we understand before the respite visit begins, the easier it is to maintain continuity. That is why respite care should be planned rather than treated as simple "cover".
why choose care & carers
Personal understanding, reliable organisation
Professionally managed, locally led
Care & Carers provides professionally managed home care through its local team, with support planned around the individual rather than a generic service package.
Our own trained staff
Our wider home care service is delivered by our own trained staff, without reliance on agency cover, and we're proud of our record on reliability and continuity of visits.
Respite care in Aylesbury and surrounding areas
Local coverage across Buckinghamshire and South Oxfordshire
Care & Carers provides domiciliary care across locations including:
Aylesbury
Bedgrove
Stone
Haddenham
Tring
Thame
Long Crendon
High Wycombe
Wendover
Chinnor
Whitchurch
Weston Turville
Aston Clinton
Can I get help paying for respite care?
Respite care can be arranged privately, but it's worth knowing that unpaid carers also have statutory rights that may unlock funded support.
Under the Care Act 2014, if you provide unpaid care for another adult, you have a legal right to ask your local council for a Carer's Assessment. This looks specifically at the impact caring has on your own health and wellbeing (separate from any assessment of the person you care for) and can identify support the council has a duty to help meet, which may include funded respite care.
This doesn't replace a conversation with us, but it's a genuinely useful step to take alongside it, particularly if cost is a concern.
Frequently asked questions
Respite care, answered plainly
What is respite care?
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Does respite care happen at home?
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How long can respite care last?
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What can a respite carer do?
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Can respite care support someone with dementia?
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Can I arrange respite care regularly?
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How much does respite care cost?
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How much notice do you need?
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What happens if I need emergency respite care?
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Can you provide respite overnight?
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Will the respite carer be someone we already know?
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Can I get help paying for respite care?
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get in touch
You can care for someone and still need time for yourself
Whether you need a few hours for an appointment, regular time each week, or support while you deal with something unexpected, start by talking to us. Tell us about the person you care for, what you normally do for them, and the time you need away.
There is no charge for the assessment and no obligation to proceed.
