Most people who become carers do not plan for it. One day life is normal; the next, you are managing medications, hospital appointments, and sleepless nights, often while holding down a job and everything else that comes with it.
Respite care gives carers a break, and gives the person being cared for a change of environment, professional support, and continued engagement, all without disrupting the quality of care they receive.
Respite care is temporary care provided to a person who would otherwise be looked after by a family member or unpaid carer. It can last anywhere from a single day to several weeks, depending on the circumstances.
The purpose is twofold. For the carer, it creates space to rest, recover, work, or simply take a holiday without worry. For the person receiving care, it provides continued professional support in a safe environment, and often the benefit of new company, activities, and routine.
Respite care is not a downgrade from the care a loved one receives at home. At a residential setting, a person receiving respite care should have their individual needs assessed and a short-term care plan put in place, just as a permanent resident would.
At Merling Care Homes Our respite residents receive the same level of service and engagement as our permanent residents. We assess each person’s needs individually, create a short-term care plan, and ensure they can take full part in the activities, meals, and life of the home.
Respite care can support a wide range of people. It is not exclusively for those with serious health conditions, though it is commonly used in those circumstances.
It may be appropriate when:
It is also worth noting that a carer’s own mental and physical health is a legitimate reason to arrange respite. Long-term caring can affect relationships, employment, and wellbeing. Taking a break is not selfish; it is often necessary to continue caring sustainably.
What Are the Different Types of Respite Care?
The person temporarily moves into a care home for an agreed period. This is the most common form of respite and is suitable where 24-hour support is needed, or where the home environment is not safe without the carer present.
A good residential respite placement will feel welcoming from day one. The person should be introduced to staff, shown around the home, invited to join activities, and served proper meals, not treated as a short-term inconvenience.
At Glebe House in Staines upon Thames and Moorland House in Barton-on-Sea, we offer residential and nursing respite care for elderly adults, including those living with dementia.
Nursing respite is residential respite in a home registered to provide nursing care. This is appropriate where someone has a clinical need that cannot be managed by care staff alone, for example wound management, medication administered via a route other than orally, or post-operative recovery requiring skilled nursing assessment.
Glebe House is registered for nursing and can accommodate a range of specialist nursing needs, whether the stay is short-term or longer.
Some care homes and community organisations offer day care, where a person attends during the day and returns home in the evening. This suits situations where the overnight arrangement is working well but the carer needs regular daytime relief.
A professional carer visits the home to take over from the family carer for a set number of hours. This can be useful for people who are resistant to leaving their own home, or where the care needs are relatively straightforward.
Where a carer becomes ill or is hospitalised unexpectedly, emergency respite can be arranged at short notice. Many care homes keep a small number of beds available for this purpose, though availability cannot be guaranteed. It is worth planning ahead by identifying a suitable home before an emergency arises.
| Type | Best suited to | Typical duration |
|---|---|---|
| Residential | Carers taking a break; those needing 24-hour support | 1 to 6 weeks |
| Nursing | Post-operative recovery; complex clinical needs | Days to several weeks |
| Day care | Daytime relief; maintaining home routine overnight | Regular sessions |
| Home-based | Those unwilling to leave home; lower-level needs | Flexible hourly or daily |
| Emergency | Sudden carer illness or absence | Until the carer can return |
The cost of residential respite care in the UK varies significantly depending on the level of care required, the location of the home, and the facilities on offer. As a general guide, weekly fees for residential care typically start from around £800 to £1,200 per week, while nursing care commands a higher rate, often from £1,200 to £1,800 or more per week in the South East.
For specific pricing at Glebe House or Moorland House, we encourage families to get in touch directly. Fees depend on the individual’s care needs, room type, and length of stay.
Funding for respite care can come from several sources, and in some cases a combination of them.
Many families fund respite care privately. If the person needing care has savings or assets above the local authority means-test threshold (currently £23,250 in England), they will typically be expected to fund their own care.
If the person needing care has been assessed as having eligible care needs, the local authority may contribute toward the cost of respite. This follows a care needs assessment and a financial assessment (means test). Carers can also request a Carer’s Assessment, which considers their own needs and may identify funding for a break.
Where someone has a primary health need, they may qualify for NHS Continuing Healthcare, which covers the full cost of care regardless of assets. This is assessed using the NHS Checklist and Decision Support Tool and requires a multidisciplinary review.
Some local authorities and charitable organisations offer grants specifically to fund short breaks for carers. Carers UK and local carer support organisations can help identify what is available in your area.
Burnout among unpaid carers is a genuine and well-documented risk. Time away from caring responsibilities allows a carer to sleep properly, attend to their own health, maintain relationships, and return to their caring role with renewed energy and focus.
A planned break, even a short one, can make long-term caring more sustainable.
A change of environment, new company, and structured activities can have a positive effect on wellbeing, particularly for people who may have become socially isolated at home. Nutritious meals, engagement with staff and other residents, and a different routine can all contribute to a better short-term experience than staying at home without the usual carer present.
For families considering a longer-term move to residential care, a respite stay also offers a low-pressure way to try a home before making a permanent decision.
Respite care gives families peace of mind. Knowing that a loved one is being properly cared for, in a safe and comfortable environment, by trained and regulated professionals, allows family members to rest rather than worry.
Not all care homes approach short-stay admissions in the same way. Some treat respite as secondary to their permanent residents. A good home will give the same attention to a two-week respite stay as it does to a long-term admission.
When visiting or enquiring, consider asking:
You can view CQC inspection reports for both Merling Care Homes on our CQC reports page.
Moorland House, Barton-on-Sea Rated 9.6 out of 10 on carehome.co.uk, Moorland House is a small, deliberately intimate residential home just a short walk from the beach. We keep the home small by design, so every resident, whether staying for a week or long-term, feels genuinely known and at home.
The process for arranging respite care depends on whether you are self-funding or seeking local authority support.
If you are self-funding, the quickest route is to contact care homes directly to check availability and discuss your relative’s needs. A good home will want to carry out an assessment before the stay begins, even for a short admission, to ensure they can meet the person’s needs safely.
If you are seeking local authority funding, start by contacting your local council’s adult social care team to request a care needs assessment. If you are the carer, you are also entitled to a Carer’s Assessment in your own right. These assessments are free and carry no obligation to use a specific provider.
To discuss a respite stay at Glebe House or Moorland House, contact us here or call to arrange a visit. We are happy to talk through your circumstances before you commit to anything.
There is no fixed upper limit. Most respite stays last between one and six weeks, though some homes will accommodate longer stays depending on availability and care need. If you are considering a more extended stay, it is worth discussing this at the point of enquiry so the home can plan appropriately.
Yes. Many care homes, including both Merling Care Homes, have experience in supporting people living with dementia. A good dementia-experienced home will provide a calm, consistent environment and staff trained to manage the specific challenges dementia can present in an unfamiliar setting.
They should not be. A reputable care home will carry out a pre-admission assessment, create a care plan, and ensure the person can fully participate in the life of the home, regardless of whether the stay is for one week or one year.
This is one of the most common concerns families raise. Resistance is understandable, particularly for people who associate care homes with a loss of independence. A pre-visit, where your relative can see the home, meet the staff, and have a meal, can help significantly. Some people who were initially reluctant find they enjoy the company and activity once they arrive.
If you are seeking local authority funding for respite care, yes, a financial assessment will be carried out alongside the care needs assessment. If you are self-funding, there is no means test involved.
Yes. Visits from family are encouraged at both of our homes. Your involvement during the stay helps the person settle and ensures continuity between the home and the residential environment.
If you are considering respite care for a loved one and would like to discuss what Merling Care Homes can offer, we welcome enquiries at any stage of your decision. You can contact us here, or visit our individual home pages for Glebe House and Moorland House to learn more about both settings.