In-Home Respite

In-Home Respite – consider it a well-earned break, without missing a beat. It’s short-term support that steps in so a carer can rest, travel, recover, or simply take a moment for themselves. Under the Support at Home program, Respite Care sits within the Independence  category, alongside services like Social Support, Transport, and Assistive Technology and Home Modifications. 

With Chris Barnard Health, In-Home Respite means: 

• Short-term care in the home, so your loved one stays in familiar, comfortable surroundings 

• Trained support workers, ready to step in and continue the usual routine 

• Flexible arrangements, whether you need a few hours, a full day, or ongoing regular breaks 

• Peace of mind, knowing your loved one is genuinely well cared for while you take time out 

It might be worth considering In-Home Respite if you, or the person you care for, are: 

• Needing a short break to rest, travel, or attend to other responsibilities 

• Recovering from an illness or a medical procedure of your own 

• Simply wanting some breathing room, without worrying about your loved one’s care 

In-Home Respite sits within the Independence category of Support at Home. This means, unlike clinical services such as Nursing or Physiotherapy, a small contribution may apply, usually somewhere between 5% and 50%, based on income and assets. Your Care Partner will walk you through exactly what applies to your situation, and help you plan respite into your quarterly budget in a way that actually works for you. 

Not yet receiving government funding, or need a little more respite than your care plan currently covers? We also offer privately funded In-Home Respite, so support is there when you need it, regardless of where you’re at with funding. 

Caring for someone you love is one of the most important things a family can do, but it’s also one of the most demanding, physically, emotionally, and mentally. Carers who don’t get regular breaks are at real risk of burnout, and burnout doesn’t just affect the carer, it affects the quality of care the whole family can provide. 

Respite isn’t a luxury or a sign of not coping. It’s part of sustainable, long-term caring. Taking a genuine break, even a short one, often makes it easier to keep showing up as the person your loved one needs you to be. 

We Keep the Routine, Not Just the Roof 
When our support workers step in for respite, the goal isn’t just to keep someone safe, it’s to keep things feeling normal. The usual mealtimes, the favourite chair, the regular little routines that make a home feel like home. Continuity matters, especially when a familiar face (yours) is temporarily out of the picture. 

Matched to Fit, Not Just Rostered In 
We do our best to match respite support workers to your loved one’s personality and needs, not just their care plan. Someone who already feels like a good fit makes all the difference during a period that can otherwise feel a little unsettling. 

Every service we provide, including In-Home Respite, is guided by your rights under the Aged Care Act 2024. That means you and your loved one always have the right to: 

• Make decisions about care and daily routines 

• Be treated with dignity and respect, always 

• Be involved in planning respite services, including who delivers them 

• Speak up if something isn’t working, and know you’ll genuinely be heard 

In-Home Respite is available if you’re an eligible Support at Home participant, generally aged 65 or over (50 or over for First Nations people) and needing coordinated support to stay safely and independently at home. It’s also available to younger people living with disability, dementia, or other care needs not met through other specialist services. If your needs change suddenly, for example, if you become unwell or unavailable unexpectedly, your Care Partner can also help arrange emergency respite. 

• The same familiar face, wherever possible. Because we invest in our own workforce rather than relying on rotating agency staff, we do our best to send someone your loved one already knows, so respite feels like a visit from a familiar face, not a stranger filling in. 

• A team that’s ready when you need them. Life doesn’t always give notice. Our team can respond quickly when respite is needed at short notice, so a sudden gap in care never becomes a crisis. 

Give us a call on 1300 602 469 to chat about In-Home Respite and how it fits into your Support at Home plan, or fill out our contact form on the website and we’ll be in touch.