Respite Care

Last amended: 1 July 2014

Definition of respite care

Residential respite care is a form of short-term care provided in aged care facilities for the purposes of giving a carer, or care recipient, a short break from their usual caring arrangement. It may be used on a planned or emergency basis. For income support assessment purposes, the term is restricted to government subsidised respite care, that is, care funded under the Aged Care Act 1997. The rules outlined below do not cover privately funded respite arrangements.

Note: For the eligibility requirements and financial assistance for respite care under the Veterans' Home Care (VHC) program, refer to Health Information and Management Note (HIMN) No 05/2007.

Respite care is not the same as transition care. Transition care is therapy focused care for a limited period of time, following a person's stay in hospital.     

Respite care criteria

As with other forms of aged care, persons requiring respite care must be approved by ACAT in order to gain entry to a Government subsidised facility as a respite care resident. In most cases, a person can have up to 63 days of respite care in a financial year. However, if the ACAT determines it as necessary, extensions of up to 21 days at a time are possible.

Transfer to permanent care

If a person in respite care transfers to permanent care, the day the transfer takes place is the day the person is taken to have entered the aged care facility. The person's requirement to make an accommodation payment would be assessed at that point.    

Pension assessment rules during respite care period

Respite care must be for a minimum of 14 consecutive days for a respite couple determination to apply. A person in respite care is considered to be in government subsidised care and therefore the assessment rules, contained in 9.2.4/In Care Assessment Rules, should be followed. This means that if one or both members of the couple are in respite care, then they may be determined to be an illness separated couple. In order for the definition of illness separated couple to be met, the couple must be living apart due to the illness or infirmity of one or both members of the couple.

Where a couple who is benefitting from the transitional rules becomes assessed under the standard rules as a respite care couple, access to transition arrangements is retained.  The transitional rules may apply again to determine the person's rate of income support pension when the period of respite finishes. 

Resident pays basic fee only

A person in respite care pays a [glossary:basic:] [glossary:fee:] but cannot be asked to pay an accommodation payment, or any means tested fees.

DVA pays first 28 days basic fee

DVA will pay the basic [glossary:fee:] for up to 28 of the 63 days when the person entering residential respite care is the holder of a Gold Card or a White Card. After 28 days, the veteran, war widow/widower is responsible for paying the basic fee.    

Australian former prisoners of war and Victoria Cross Veterans

DVA pays the [glossary:basic fee:DEF/Basic Fee] for up to 63 days (or such further period as is permitted under the Residential Care Subsidy Principles) for former prisoners of war and Victoria Cross veterans who receive respite care in an approved residential facility.