Who this is for
The daughter who moved back in. The husband who has not slept through the night in a year. The son who takes every call from the neighbors. Family caregivers carry the heaviest version of this work and are the least likely to ask for help, usually because asking feels like admitting something.
It is not. Nobody sustains this alone indefinitely, and the people who try tend to get sick themselves.
How respite works
- Regular relief — the same afternoon every week, so you can count on it and plan around it
- Extended breaks — a weekend, a week, a vacation you have not taken in three years
- Emergency coverage — when you are the one who ends up in the hospital
Why we introduce the caregiver first
Respite only works if the person you are leaving is comfortable. We start with overlapping visits while you are still there, so by the time you actually leave, your mother is being left with someone she knows — not a stranger you handed her keys to on your way out the door.
Scheduling
Respite is easiest to arrange when it is regular. A standing weekly block is simple to staff and gives you something to plan around; a random Saturday every few months is harder for everyone. Most families settle on a fixed afternoon or two.
Where we provide this
Allentown, Bethlehem, Easton, Stroudsburg, East Stroudsburg and across Lehigh, Monroe and Northampton counties.
Paying for it
Community HealthChoices, Act 150, the OBRA Waiver, VA Community Care, long-term care insurance, and private pay. Read the full guide →