Respite Care
We can help when your family needs a break
Respite care in Melbourne
- Giving your regular caregiver a needed rest
Absolute Care & Health provides flexible in-home respite funded through the Support at Home program, the NDIS, or privately. Unlike residential respite, your loved one stays in their own home, in their own routine, with a carer matched to them.
What is in-home respite care?
Respite care is short-term care that gives a primary carer, usually a family member time to rest, attend to their own health, work, or simply take a break. Caring for someone around the clock is not sustainable without relief and respite is what makes long-term caring possible. In-home respite care is one of the most flexible options available, because the support comes to you.
With in-home respite care, the care comes to you. A trained support worker or nurse steps into the caring role in the familiar surroundings of home, so the person being cared for keeps their routine while their regular carer takes a genuine break. It’s an alternative to residential respite (a short stay in an aged care home) and centre-based respite (day programs in the community).
For longer breaks, we can also arrange round-the-clock care so your usual caregiver can properly switch off, knowing everything is covered.
Types of respite care we provide
We tailor respite around your family’s needs — how often, how long, and what kind of support. Common arrangements include:
A few hours
Occasional respite
Regular
Scheduled respite
A set day each week or fortnight your carer can count on. This is the most sustainable rhythm for long-term caring.
Overnight & extended
Overnight & holiday respite
Overnight or multi-day care covering holidays, hospital stays, or when your carer needs time away.
During respite, our Support Workers do everything your usual carer does, i.e. personal care, meal preparation, medication prompting, companionship, help getting to appointments, and support with daily routines and activities. If clinical needs are involved, our nursing team can provide nurse-led respite too.
How much does respite care cost and how is it funded?
For most families, in-home respite is funded, not paid out of pocket. Absolute Care & Health is an approved NDIS, My Aged Care, WorkCover and TAC provider, so how your respite is funded depends on the program the person you care for is in.
Support at Home
In-home respite is delivered as part of your Support at Home funding. Respite care service is drawn from your overall quarterly budget, giving you flexibility to use it when your carer needs it. See our Support at Home funding guide and contributions page for how budgets and any contributions work.
NDIS
For NDIS participants, respite is usually funded under Core Supports as “assistance with daily life,” and short-term accommodation may cover overnight respite. See our NDIS page.
Recovery care (WorkCover & TAC)
As an approved WorkCover and TAC provider, we deliver respite and in-home support as part of recovery care after an injury or accident. Talk to us about how respite fits your recovery plan. See our recovery support page.
Private funding
Prefer to arrange respite privately, or want extra hours on top of your funded support? You can pay an hourly rate for exactly the respite you want, whenever you want it with no assessment or waiting. See our private funding options.
If you’d like a clear picture of what respite would cost for your situation, call us on 1300 030 032 and we’ll explain your funding and any contribution before anything starts with no obligation.
Need respite care urgently?
If your usual carer is suddenly unable to provide care through illness, hospitalisation or a crisis, emergency respite can often be arranged quickly. Call us on 1300 030 032 to talk through immediate options.
Why Melbourne families choose Absolute Care & Health for respite
Handing over the care of someone you love, even briefly takes trust. It’s important that you feel you have the right person supporting you or your loved one.
We take our brief from you on the kind of person you want supporting you or your loved one.
- Personality matching
- Cultural understanding
- Multilingual caregivers
- Preference for male or female caregivers
- LGBTI awareness
Our care built around goals, needs and values because one size doesn’t fit all.
Why Melbourne families choose Absolute Care & Health for respite
Handing over the care of someone you love, even briefly takes trust. It’s important that you feel you have the right person supporting you or your loved one.
We take our brief from you on the kind of person you want supporting you or your loved one.
- Personality matching
- Cultural understanding
- Multilingual caregivers
- Preference for male or female caregivers
- LGBTI awareness
Our care built around goals, needs and values because one size doesn’t fit all.
Where we provide respite care
Not sure if we cover your area? Get in touch if you’re in greater Melbourne or on the Peninsula, we can almost certainly help.
Frequently asked questions (FAQs) about respite care
These are some of the most common questions, answered for you.
How much does in-home respite care cost per day?
For most families, in-home respite care isn’t charged as a fixed daily fee. It’s funded through your Support at Home budget or NDIS plan and drawn from your overall allocation, so the “cost” depends on the hours you use and any income-assessed contribution. By comparison, government-subsidised residential respite (a stay in an aged care home) has a basic daily fee set at 85% of the single Age Pension. We’ll give you a clear picture of your costs before any care begins.
How long can someone stay in respite care?
In-home respite care through Support at Home has no separate day limit. You use it flexibly within your funding budget, from a few hours to overnight or several days at a time. Government-subsidised residential respite is capped at 63 days per financial year, which can be extended by 21 days at a time with assessor approval. In-home respite care can be occasional, a regular weekly or fortnightly arrangement, or a longer block to cover a holiday.
What's the difference between in-home and residential respite care?
In-home respite means a carer comes to your home so your loved one stays in their own environment and routine while their usual carer takes a break. Residential respite means a short stay in an aged care home. Many families prefer in-home respite because it’s less disruptive, especially for people living with dementia, where a change of environment can be unsettling and because it can be arranged flexibly around the carer’s needs.
Is respite care funded under Support at Home?
Yes. Under the Support at Home program, in-home respite is included as part of your funded services and drawn from your quarterly budget with no separate day limit. If your loved one transitioned from a Home Care Package, they can continue to use their funding for respite care. We can help you understand how much of your budget respite will use. See our Support at Home funding guide or call us.
Can I get respite care through the NDIS?
Yes. For NDIS participants, respite care is generally funded under Core Supports as assistance with daily life, and overnight respite may be funded through Short Term Accommodation. We support participants across Melbourne and the Mornington Peninsula.
Can I arrange emergency respite care?
Yes. If your usual carer is suddenly unable to provide care due to illness, a hospital admission or a crisis, emergency respite can often be arranged at short notice. Call us on 1300 030 032 to talk through immediate options.
What does a respite carer actually do?
Our respite carers do everything your usual carer does, like personal care (showering, dressing, toileting), preparing meals, prompting medication, companionship, helping your loved one get to appointments or out into the community, and supporting their daily routines. Where clinical care is needed, our nurses can provide nurse-led respite. We match the carer to your family member’s needs and preferences.
Discover more about how we work
Absolute Care & Health provides personalised individual support and nursing services, perfectly matched to you.
We work across in-home aged care, the NDIS (disability support) and recovery care. Each of these areas is led by a specialist team with extensive experience and knowledge of their sector.
With hundreds of Support Workers from Australia and around the World, we can offer many languages and cultural backgrounds.
What our clients say about us
“When the Absolute Care & Health Carers are here I know that if James asked for something he would get it. They even do the ironing which is such an incredible help to me. That has allowed me to get out and do what I need to do.”
- James and Sue, Melbourne
Ready for a break? Let's arrange your respite care.
It’s your life and your usual carer’s too. Talk to our Melbourne care team about in-home respite for your family. We’ll explain your funding, match the right carer and answer every question with no obligation.
