Respite care/short break allows you to take a break from your caring responsibilities.
It lets you take time out to look after yourself and helps stop you becoming exhausted and run down.
There are lots of respite care options. They range from:
- getting a volunteer carer to sit with the person you look after for a few hours this is usually known as a 'sitting service';
- a short stay in a care home for the person you look after so you can go on holiday ; or
- a day centre placement for the person you look after to allow you to meet friends and take part in regular activities.
Longer breaks from caring may impact on your entitlement to Carers Allowance, contact the Carers Allowance Unit for advice beforehand.
If you would like Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council's Adult Social Care Department to arrange these services and you, or the person you care for, already have a social worker, you can ask them to help you. If you do not have a social care worker, you should contact Adult Social Care on 01642 771500 to ask for your needs as a carer to be assessed.
If you are arranging these services yourself they usually have a cost so please check before you agree to services.
You can find a list of services that offer respite, short breaks and day services in our service directory.