Providing any level of care for a family member or loved one can be both rewarding and exhausting in equal measure. As such, it’s essential to make sure that you prioritise your own mental and emotional health and wellbeing at the same time so that you can continue providing the high standard of care that is required.
Respite care is a short-term flexible arrangement that means you can focus on other areas of your life or take a well-earned break without having to worry that the person you’re caring for won’t be looked after well while you’re away.
It’s also a really good opportunity for you to try out live-in care for the first time to see how it works and whether it’s a good fit for you, instead of moving to a care home, for example.
But, as with any type of care provision, one of the key considerations is how to get funding for home care respite help. Here’s a quick guide on the matter. As ever, if you need any further help or advice, get in touch with the Concept Care team today.
Getting assessed
Before you can obtain grants and funding for respite care, you need to have a carer’s assessment and a needs assessment carried out. Your local council will only provide funding for those that have been assessed as needing it.
If you or your loved one qualifies for respite care, a financial assessment (means test) will then be conducted to see whether the council will contribute to the associated costs. If you are eligible for council funding, you can either ask them to arrange care provision on your behalf or you can set it up yourself via a personal budget or direct payment of funds.
Note, as well, that there are charities out there that offer grants and discounts for those who need respite care, which is another avenue to consider if you need help with funding.
Beyond that, it is likely that you will need to contribute towards some, if not all, of the costs associated with respite care. You can use savings, income from work, pensions, investments or property, or benefits such as the attendance allowance.
This allowance helps with additional costs if you have a health condition or disability severe enough that it requires someone to come and help look after you. You can get either £73.90 or £110.40 a week to help with personal support if you’re state pension age or above, if you have a health condition or a mental or physical disability. It does not cover mobility needs.
How can Concept Care help?
Our respite care service gives you access to help with personal care, medication reminders and administration, meal prep and nutritional support, companionship, mobility assistance, fall prevention, and household help and cleaning. If you’d like to find out more, get in touch with the team today.
