Respite care gives family carers regular, reliable time off. A spouse, partner or adult child can step back, rest, work or simply have time to themselves while their family member stays safely at home with a familiar carer. From £31 per hour, VAT-exempt.
CQC-regulated and rated Good. Registered Manager Courtney Pike. 9.9/10 on homecare.co.uk.
Respite isn’t giving up
Most family carers don’t think of themselves as carers at all. They think of themselves as a husband, wife, daughter or son doing what’s needed. That is exactly what they are. But caring is physically and emotionally demanding, and doing it without any regular break tends to lead to one place: crisis.
Respite care isn’t a step back from caring. It’s what makes caring sustainable. A regular visit from a familiar carer gives you time to rest properly, attend appointments, maintain work, spend time with other family members, or simply sit quietly without being needed.
“I hadn’t slept more than four hours in a row for about eight months. When we eventually arranged for a carer to come in on Wednesday mornings, I used to just sit in the garden. That was enough.”
Signs a family carer may need some support
There’s no specific point at which caring becomes too much. But there are signs that the balance has shifted:
- You feel exhausted most of the time, even after sleep.
- You have stopped making plans, because care needs always come first.
- You feel resentful or guilty, or both at the same time.
- Your own health, GP appointments or social contact has dropped away.
- You are irritable or short-tempered with the person you care for, and then feel terrible about it.
- You haven’t had a conversation about something other than care in a while.
None of this makes you a bad carer. It makes you a carer who needs support.
What respite visits involve
Respite care from Helping at Home is visiting care with a familiar, consistent carer. Depending on what’s needed, a respite visit can cover:
- Personal care, washing and dressing.
- Meals and drinks.
- Medication prompts.
- Companionship and engagement.
- Light domestic support, where agreed in the care plan.
- Welfare and safety checks.
The care plan is built around the person being cared for. Their routines, preferences, and the support they actually need, so that a carer stepping in feels like continuity, not disruption.
How often and how long
Respite can be built into a regular weekly pattern, or used at specific times when a family carer knows they need cover. Common arrangements:
- A few mornings or afternoons a week, freeing up predictable time.
- Cover for a specific shift or working day.
- An extended visit or overnight stay while a family carer rests, attends something, or is away.
We do not require a minimum contract. Start with what is useful and adjust from there.
Familiar carers, not a different person each time
Unpredictability is one of the things that makes respite hard to trust. If a different carer turns up each week, a person with dementia becomes anxious. A parent who resists care in the first place digs in further.
We aim to keep each client’s care team to a maximum of four familiar carers. Where possible, the same carer comes for respite visits. If cover is needed, it comes from our directly employed team. We never use agency staff. Read more about how we keep care consistent.
Costs and funding for respite
Respite care is charged at our standard visiting care rates: £31 per hour, or £17 for a 30-minute visit, plus a £2.50 flat travel charge per visit. Care services are VAT-exempt.
Funding options include private payment and Direct Payments, if someone has been assessed as eligible by their local council. A carer’s assessment through Nottinghamshire County Council (or Lincolnshire County Council for Grantham families) may identify entitlement to support. This is worth pursuing if caring is having a significant impact on daily life. Full detail on costs and funding.
What happens next
Call us on 01636 646915 or request a care assessment. Tell us what’s happening. We’ll talk through what a practical respite arrangement could look like, confirm availability and arrange a care assessment. Most families are up and running within a few days.
A first conversation doesn’t commit you to anything.
Frequently asked questions
What is respite care and how does it work?
Respite care is regular, planned cover that gives a family carer time off. A familiar Helping at Home carer visits the person being cared for at an agreed time, providing the support they need while the family carer takes a break. Visits are built around the person’s routine and preferences.
Can respite care help if my family member has dementia?
Yes. Familiar, consistent carers are particularly important for people with dementia. We introduce carers before care starts wherever possible and aim to keep the same faces coming regularly, which helps the person settle and reduces anxiety during visits.
Can I arrange respite care for a specific day or time?
Yes. Respite arrangements are built around what is useful for the family carer. If you need regular Wednesday mornings, or cover every other Friday afternoon, we will work to build that into the schedule.
Does Helping at Home provide overnight respite?
Yes. We offer both waking and sleeping night support as part of our overnight care service. This can be arranged as a one-off or on a regular basis.
How quickly can respite care start?
Call 01636 646915 and we’ll discuss availability. Most families are up and running within a few days of the initial conversation.
We provide respite care in Newark, Grantham, Bingham, Retford, Ollerton and Southwell and the surrounding villages.
