How do you pay for respite care?
Respite care is the provision of short-term, temporary relief to those who are caring for family members who might otherwise require permanent placement in a facility outside the home. Unfortunately there is no default easy way to find funds for respite care. Much of it depends on your unique situation. This post will focus on how to determine how to find respite care that will work for you.
For more info on respite care, see our recent post on respite care for more information.
Many sources of funds for respite care require a level of financial need. If the senior can afford to pay for the care, some of the avenues that might pay for respite care will be closed to you. You should still investigate your options.
Find the right organization
There are a number of reasons why you may find yourself in a situation where respite care, and that’s the first tip for finding help. For instance, commonly seniors who are in need of continuous, or near continuous, care are suffering from chronic, debilitating, progressive diseases like Parkinson’s, or Alzheimer’s. Organizations like Alzheimer’s Association and National Parkinson Foundation have programs that may help pay for respite care. Other organizations like these may offer help with respite care.
If the senior is nearing the end of life and is in the care of Hospice, Medicare will cover inpatient respite care. You can stay in a Medicare-approved facility up to 5 days each time you get respite care. Medicare requires that the patient pays for 5% of the care associated with respite care. For more information on Medicare covered respite care, see their publication (PDF) called Medicare Hospice Benefits.
Go local
One of the best ways to find help with respite care and possible sources of funds are to talk to people locally. Both the Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s sites have ways of finding local chapters and support groups. Ask them what they would recommend for respite care in your area.
The Eldercare Locator, a public service of the Administration on Aging, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, can help you find care locally. They have a good page on respite care.
Check out Chapel Hill Training-Outreach Project. They have a respite locator to help you find a respite care provider in your area. They may be able to give you help in finding a way to pay. They also have links to state respite coalitions that may help.
Consider contacting a SHIP counselor who may be able to help guide you to help on respite care.
Catholic Social Services and other church-based programs often help with respite care.
Other considerations
Not all respite care is alike. In some cases, the need is for a day, or even a part of a day; time enough to get away and have time to relax for a few hours. In other cases, it’s truly time for a week’s vacation. Each type of respite care has different solutions. Investigate your options for both, because you’ll likely need both.
Let us know if you have any tips on paying for respite care.
Related Links
Alzheimer’s Association: Respite Care Guide (PDF)
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