Respite and short-term care answer two needs at once: additional support for the person at home, and time back for the family who have been providing it. Cover runs from a single afternoon to several weeks, including the period while someone recovers or waits for a permanent arrangement to begin.
Time back for the family carer
Caring for someone you love is rewarding, and it is also relentless. Respite exists so a family carer can take a holiday, go to work, keep their own hospital appointment, or spend an afternoon doing nothing in particular — without spending it worrying. The person at home keeps familiar, reliable support while you are away.
When circumstances change without warning
Not all of this is planned. An illness, a fall, a hospital discharge, or a gap before a longer-term package starts can leave a household needing help at short notice. We would rather put something in place quickly than watch a family manage alone until it breaks.
We also provide short-term reablement after a hospital stay — usually four to six weeks of intensive support that steps down as confidence returns, which for many people means no ongoing package at all.
Whatever the reason, we start by learning the person rather than the task: the routine, the preferences, what they still like to do themselves. Short-term care is still care, and it should feel built around someone rather than issued to them.
Can I book just a few hours?
Yes. Respite runs from a single afternoon up to several weeks, and you will not be asked to commit to a pattern you do not need.
How much notice do you need?
Around four weeks for planned live-in cover, and often the same week for visiting care. Ring us either way — capacity varies by branch, and emergencies are what the held capacity is for.
Can short-term care become permanent?
Yes, and it frequently does. There is no penalty for converting a respite package into an ongoing one, and no second assessment to sit through.
What does it cost at Christmas?
Bank holiday hours are charged at a higher rate. We will always show you that in writing before the booking is confirmed, not on the invoice afterwards.
