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What Is In-Home Respite Care?
Date Updated: December 9, 2024
Written by:
Sarah has produced thousands of articles in diverse niches over her decade-long career as a full-time freelance writer. This includes substantial content in the fields of senior care and health care. She has experience writing about wide-ranging topics, such as types of care, care costs, funding options, state Medicaid programs and senior resources.
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Dr. Brindusa Vanta is a health care professional, researcher, and an experienced medical writer (2000+ articles published online and several medical ebooks). She received her MD degree from “Iuliu Hatieganu” University of Medicine, Romania, and her HD diploma from OCHM – Toronto, Canada.
In-home respite care is the provision of hands-on support by a hired aide in a senior’s home when their family caregivers have other commitments or need a break. Home care aides take over caregiving responsibilities for a period to enable seniors to continue aging in place safely at home.
In-Home Respite Care Services
Home care aides use customized care plans to follow a senior’s regimen commonly performed by informal caregivers. Depending on an individual’s needs, they keep the house clean and tidy, do laundry, prepare meals and run errands. They also help older adults with daily living activities, such as bathing, grooming, dressing and ambulating. Although home care aides can’t deliver medical services, they may remind older adults to take medications.
Sometimes, care plans include companionship hours, during which aides provide company, engagement and stimulation to reduce boredom, loneliness and isolation. Respite services allow family members to take a break, such as to go on vacation, recover from an illness or attend to personal matters. They also reduce the risk of caregivers experiencing burnout and care-related stress.
Cost of In-Home Respite Care
According to the 2024 Genworth Financial, in-home care agencies charge around $30 per hour in the United States. However, rates vary significantly throughout the country. For example, providers charge a median hourly rate of $29 in South Carolina, $32 in Kansas, $34 in Utah and $36 in Rhode Island.
Costs also depend on an individual’s requirements and the exact services provided; a few hours of companionship and transportation to a couple of local appointments cost less than more intensive support with several activities of daily living.