Respite Care
Experience our residential care homes for yourself with a short overnight respite break.
Short-term respite care breaks are the perfect way to spend some time getting to know our homes, your fellow residents and the tailored care and support we can offer to meet your needs. Experience the food, the atmosphere and the activities on offer, and you and your loved ones can relax knowing that all of your needs are being taken care of.
Plan your respite care in advance
What is respite care and how does it work?
A respite care break is a temporary overnight care stay in a residential care home, with all of the expert care and support you need, in an environment where you can feel at home. For some people, short term respite care provides a well-deserved break for themselves and their carers, for others it is a necessary part of recovery following illness or injury.
Whether you are looking for urgent overnight care for elderly relatives, or pre-booking future care home overnight stays for yourself, short-term respite care provides a tailored solution to meet individual requirements.
Respite care works by providing a taster of the full residential care home experience, complete with expert, tailored care, and full access to facilities and activities.
Read some of our advice around respite care here.
Some of the reasons people chose respite care include:
- emergency respite care to aid rehabilitation and recovery following a stay in hospital;
- short-term respite care for those who would ordinarily receive care in their own home;
- overnight care for the elderly who need someone to take care of them for a period of time.
- book-ahead overnight respite care to coincide with family carer holidays, hospital stays or as a change of scene.
What are the benefits of respite care?
Care home overnight stays are designed to meet your individual needs, and suit your individual circumstances. The benefits of respite care include:
Specialist respite care
Specialist overnight care for elderly relatives to ensure that they have 24/7 care and support in a homely environment, keeping them safe whilst their family are away from home or unable to support them.
Emergency respite care
Emergency short-term care to support with an individual’s ongoing recovery and rehabilitation, when they are ready to be discharged from a hospital environment, but do not have the support in place to safely return home.
Alternative to day care
A longer-term alternative to elderly day care, ensuring that all of the individual’s care needs are met from the moment they wake up until when they go to bed, with help on hand during the night as well.
A change of scene
A change of scene and the peace of mind that comes with a short respite break away from home, without the worry of how to access care and support whilst on holiday.
A well-earned break
A well-earned break for family members who provide care for their loved ones, enabling them to rest, recharge and reset their relationship with those they care for.
A trial stay
A trial short-term care home stay to experience daily life in your chosen care home, particularly if you are considering residential care as the solution to meet your future needs.
Book-ahead overnight care
Book now, stay later short-term respite breaks that enable you to plan your care home overnight stays in advance, to align with life events and family holidays.
Perhaps you fall into one of the following categories, in which case, we can help you:
I need somewhere safe to stay whilst my family are away
We’re here to keep you safe and supported whilst your loved ones are away from home. A respite stay can last for as long as you need it to, ensuring that you have 24/7 care and support in a home-from-home environment, plus full access to all of the facilities, activities and entertainment you would expect from a longer-term stay in one of our residential care homes.
I have just had an operation and I need support to recover
We all need a bit of extra support sometimes, especially following a hospital stay or operation. If you are not yet ready to return home, or you are worried that your loved ones will struggle to provide the extra support you need whilst you recover, it is worth considering an overnight respite stay in one of our specialist residential care homes. We will provide all of the care and support you need to aid your recovery in a safe and homely environment.
I would like a holiday, but need 24/7 care
We know how brilliant a change of scene can be for your wellbeing, but also know it can be tricky to arrange a holiday that accommodates your care needs. Whether you fancy a trip to the seaside, a town or city break, or a rural retreat, we’re here to provide the round-the-clock care you need with overnight care in one of our specialist care homes, leaving you free to truly enjoy your time away, make new friends and enjoy all of the facilities, activities and entertainment on offer.
I want to make sure my carer has a break
We understand that when your primary carer is a loved one, it can be hard to encourage them to take some time out for themselves. Booking short-term respite care in one of our residential care homes can be the ideal solution for you both. They can relax and recharge knowing that all of your needs are being taken care of, and you can enjoy peace of mind knowing that they are able to take a well-earned break.
I am planning for the future and would like to experience a stay in a care home before making a permanent move
We appreciate that making the move into residential care is a big step. Trying out a temporary stay in the care home of your choice is a great way to experience the atmosphere, sample the food, check out the facilities, and most importantly, make sure that the care and support on offer meets your needs. All of our care homes offer short respite breaks, giving you the chance to experience a residential stay first-hand, as you plan for your future.
I need to book overnight care in advance
We understand that arranging overnight care is not something that you always want to leave until the last minute. Somerset Care offers pre-bookable short term respite care options across our residential care homes, enabling you to plan ahead and align your short-stay care home breaks to coincide with family events, appointments and holidays, or simply to arrange your own holiday ahead of time.
Why choose Somerset Care for respite care?
At Somerset Care, we offer overnight care for elderly people and short-term respite care breaks in all of our specialist residential care homes, meaning that we have the location, the expertise and the tailored care you need.
Our friendly, knowledgeable team are here to help you make the right choice which suits your needs and preferences. They will be able to advise on available dates, locations and costs for your overnight respite care, whilst our specialist care teams will ensure your stay with us provides you with all of the comfort and support you need.
We would love to help you enjoy a relaxing respite care break or day visit in a safe and comfortable environment, with all the support you need to live the life you choose.
Check availability and book your short-term respite break, for now or for a later date.
To check availability in our homes and ask any questions you may have, please contact us. We look forward to welcoming you soon.
What happens in respite care?
A short term respite care stay includes absolutely everything that you would expect from a longer-term stay in one of our specialist residential care homes:
- A fully furnished room in one of our well-equipped care homes, which you can personalise to help you feel at home;
- All of your meals, drinks and snacks (tailored to meet your preferences and dietary requirements);
- 24/7 individual support including overnight care, help with medication and personal care;
- Full use of all of the home’s indoor and outdoor communal areas, garden and facilities;
- Participation in as many of the home’s activities, events and entertainment as you choose;
- A warm welcome for any visitors you may like to invite;
- Utilities, linen, laundry, housekeeping and cleaning.
How you chose to spend your time in respite care is up to you – you can treat it as a relaxing break and change of scene, recovery time to help you to safely return home from hospital, the opportunity to ‘try out’ a care home before making a longer-term commitment, or perhaps the chance to meet new friends and discover new interests.
How long can respite care last?
A respite care break can last for anything from a few days to a few months – it really is up to you! We’re here to support you with whatever works best for you, whether you simply fancy a change of scene or are keen to try out one of our homes, or whether you need support for a particular period of time as your usual carer is taking a break.
Provided we have availability, we’re happy to accommodate whatever length of stay you need in our respite care homes.
We also offer day care packages at selected care homes across Somerset. If you are not yet ready to book care home overnight stays, but would still like to spend a day with fellow residents, enjoy a hearty home-cooked meal and experience some of the activities on offer, then day care could be the perfect solution. Please contact us to find out about our available day care packages.
How far in advance can short-term respite care be booked?
Somerset Care’s book-ahead respite care solution allows you to pre-book your care home overnight stays months in advance, with just a small deposit to reserve your room and support package at your chosen care home.
This means that you are free to choose and book your respite break with confidence; booking in advance to align with family member plans, and making sure everyone has a break to look forward to. As your choice of care home isn’t restricted to last-minute availability, you will also have the maximum range of suitable options available to you, from across Somerset Care’s 22 care homes in Somerset and Devon.
What is the criteria for respite care?
Provided the individual’s needs can be safely met at the chosen respite care home, there is no set criteria for respite care. All of our care homes across Somerset offer respite care breaks, subject to availability.
What is the purpose of respite care?
The purpose of respite care is to provide a short-term package of tailored care and support which meets the individual’s needs, including overnight care, within a care home environment. This can be to support rehabilitation following illness or injury, to complement care already delivered in the individual’s own home or at a day care centre, as an introduction to longer term residential care, or simply to provide a holiday with care and support included.
How are overnight care costs calculated?
Respite care costs are calculated in the same way as longer-term care in a residential care home; combining fixed daily accommodation costs with the cost of delivering the bespoke care you need.
You will be advised of the cost of your stay at the time of your booking, based on the accommodation cost of your chosen care home, along with the support needs identified in your care assessment.
If you are pre-booking your stay 2 months or more in advance, you will be asked to pay a deposit to secure your short-term respite care break.
If you meet certain financial criteria, or live with identified long-term or chronic health conditions, you may be eligible for Local Authority or NHS funding towards to cost of your care home overnight stays. You can learn more in our article here.
Can family members visit during a respite stay?
Of course! You are welcome to invite family and friends to visit you during your respite break, and all of our homes have communal areas including lounges and gardens which you are perfect for socialising and spending time with loved ones.
Your care team in the home will be happy to support you in making arrangements to receive your visitors.
What happens if my plans or care needs change?
Somerset Care has 22 care homes across Somerset and Devon, all of which offer overnight care. If you need to change the date of your stay, or your care needs have changed between your booking and your stay, we are well-positioned to support you in making alternative arrangements, subject to availability.
If you have pre-booked your short-term respite break for a later date, we will reaffirm your care needs nearer the time, to ensure that you can be safe and supported to enjoy your stay.
How can I arrange respite care?
Somerset Care’s friendly team of care advisors can support you to find and book the respite break you need.
Whether you have a care home in mind or need support in choosing the right location and support to meet your needs, our expert team will guide you through the options available, check availability and support you to get everything in place for your care home overnight stays.
Your break is reserved for you at a time of your choosing, with a care assessment carried out to confirm that your chosen care home can provide the support you need. We will reaffirm your requirements nearer to your booked break, to ensure everything is in place for you to stay safe and enjoy your time away.
Even if your care needs increase, you can relax in the knowledge that, with expert care teams able to provide everything from light help with washing, dressing and daily tasks, right through to hospital-standard, round-the-clock nursing care, Somerset Care is well-positioned to meet your changing needs and support you with the short-term respite care you need.
