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National Respite for Carers Program
There is a range of assistance available for carers today, including carer education carer and support that’s both culturally and linguistically sensitive. If you care for a family member or friend to help them to continue living at home, you may also be interested in respite care opportunities, which give you and your carer the chance to take a short break.
- How can the National Respite for Carers Program help you?
- How to access the program
- Eligibility
- Cost
- Centrelink assistance
- Rights and responsibilities
- Standards of care
- Do you have a complaint?
- Community Care Services
How can the National Respite for Carers Program help you?
The National Respite for Carers Program (NRCP) allows carers of older people, people needing palliative care and people with disabilities to have a break to look after their own health and well-being, with the comfort of knowing that their dependants are well looked after.A range of community-based and residential respite is available and includes:
- day care centres that provide respite for a half day or full day
- in-home respite services, including overnight, home care and personal care services providing respite and support
- activity programs
- a break away from home, perhaps with a support worker
- respite for carers of people with dementia and challenging behaviours
- respite in a residential aged care home or overnight respite in a community setting, and
- respite for employed carers and for carers seeking to return to work.
How to access the program
You can contact 1800 200 422 to find out more about respite services and other information to help carers. For emergency respite support outside standard business hours, call 1800 059 059. You can also talk to your Aged Care Assessment Team (more information) or doctor.Eligibility
Access to respite care is based on priority and need. For respite care in your home or in a day care centre, the respite service provider, or the Commonwealth Respite and Carelink Centre will assess whether you and your carer are eligible. The amount of care you receive will depend on your needs, your eligibility, and the availability of respite care services.To receive respite care in an aged care home, you will have to be assessed by an Aged Care Assessment Team (ACAT or ACAS in Victoria), except in emergency situations. Usually, you can have up to 63 days of government-funded respite care in any financial year, and it may be possible to extend the care period by up to 21 days at a time, if your ACAT considers this necessary. Commonwealth Respite and Carelink Centres can help you with locating and booking a respite bed.
Read more: Being assessed
Cost
Community-based respite services charge fees according to the type of service being used and your ability to pay. These can vary from a sessional fee for a morning or afternoon in a day care centre, to an hourly rate for in-home respite.People who enter and receive respite in aged care homes funded by government can be asked to pay a small daily fee. A booking fee may also be charged to assist in securing a place. This is a prepayment of respite care fees and not an additional payment. Moreover, it cannot be more than a full week’s fee, or 25 per cent of the fee for the entire stay, whichever amount is the lowest. Respite residents in government-funded aged care homes do not pay an accommodation charge or accommodation bond – nor do they have to pay any additional income-tested charges.
Centrelink (more information) assistance
Financial assistance is available in many forms to help you and/or your carer including:- the Disability Support Pension, available for people who are unable to work for a prolonged period of time because of a disability
- the Mobility Allowance, paid to eligible disabled workers to meet the extra cost of travel
- the Carer Payment, which provides an income support payment (similar to a pension) for people whose caring responsibilities prevent them from significantly participating in the workforce, and
- the Carer Allowance, which provides an income supplement for people who provide daily care and attention at home for an adult or child with a disability or severe medical condition.
Rights and responsibilities
Community care service providers are expected to comply with obligations under their funding agreements and to deliver quality services that must meet national standards. Operators of aged care service subsidised by the Australian Government under the Aged Care Act 1997 require staff and vounteers to undergo a police check and assessment for suitability to work in aged care.You have the right to be treated respectfully, be informed and consulted about your care, and the right to make a complaint. In turn, you have a responsibility to treat your service provider with respect.
Standards of care
The Australian Government sets standards to ensure you receive quality care. For example, community care standards ensure that you receive a service that meets your individual needs. You have access to complaints procedures should you require them.Read more: Standards of care
Do you have a complaint?
Aged care home and packages
If you have any concerns about the care being provided, it’s often best to raise your concerns, in the first instance, with the service provider. If you are unable to resolve the issue or prefer not to complain directly to the service provider, then local aged care advocacy services may also assist with complaints. For those using respite in an aged care home, you can access the Aged Care Complaints Investigation Scheme. This is a free service that seeks to resolve your complaints about your health, safety and/or welfare – and it’s available to your relatives, guardians or representatives as well.Read more: How to make a complaint
Community care services
People receiving community care services should be provided with information on the complaint policy of that service. It is advised, in the first instance, that you raise your concern with the service directly. If this in not possible, you can contact the Aged Care Information line on 1800 500 853 for more information.Common questions on this topic:
- I am currently looking after my mother and am finding it a real handful on top of a full working week. Will I ever get a break!?
- I need to arrange respite care for Dad. Who can help me?
- What does a Commonwealth Respite and Carelink Centre do?
See more common questions on this topic | See all common questions