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Respite
What is Respite?
Respite is when someone else provides care to the person you support so you can have a break. There are many different types of planned and emergency respite available, depending on your needs.
Helpful tip - The person you are supporting will require an assessment of their level of care to determine the appropriate residential facility for them. The Aged Care Assessment Service (ACAS) provide assessments to aged people.
Making Respite a Positive Experience
You and the person you care for can take positive steps to make the most of respite.
It may take time for you and the person you support to feel comfortable with leaving them in someone else's care. You will have an understanding of the person's care needs that has developed over time. While respite cannot replace this understanding, it can be highly rewarding.
What concerns do you have about respite?
You may have a range of concerns about accessing respite. Some of the concerns carers have about accessing respite include:
- fear of disapproval by family members or friends
- conflict with a feeling of responsibility to provide care
- guilt about enjoying their time while the person is in respite
- fear the person will not receive good care
- feeling of failure that they can not do it all on their own
- fear of not being in charge of what happens to the person
It is natural to have concerns, especially if it is the first time you have accessed respite. It can be difficult if you and/or the person you support speak English as a second language.
It can also be difficult if the person you support has special communication needs, memory loss or other issues that can be more challenging to manage by someone who does not know them well. Find out what you can about respite.
Carer Support Groups enable you to discuss your concerns and find out how respite has helped other carers. You can also talk to the Commonwealth Respite and Carelink Centre or the Carers Association about your concerns.
Maybe it was from an accident at birth, a moment’s inattention on the road, the onset of a chronic illness or a mental illness, or the slow creep of age which means you are now in the role of a carer, or as someone in need of being cared for.
At Carers NT we can help you get the break that's right for both you and for the person you are caring for.
Options for respite
This is not the complete list
Contact us on 1800 200 422 to discuss your options.
Short term planned respite
If you would like to have a short break from caring, if you would like a hand with some of your every day tasks. Why not plan for a break now before it all gets too much and becomes an emergency? You can plan a break for just you, the carer, or for yourself and the person you're caring for.
Read below for some of the short break options available for you, or contact us on 1800 200 422 to discuss your options.
Short term emergency respite
If you ever have things happen unexpectedly that makes the role of caring even more difficult than normal:
- a family carer becomes ill, and can't provide care in the short term
- a family emergency happens, such as a close relative becomes ill and needs help
- there's a death in the family
- there's a risk to the carer's employment
- the carer needs to take a break urgently due to stress, to allow the them to remain physically and mentally fit
Carers NT can arrange short term emergency respite to help you at these times.
This form of respite is time limited.
See the short break options below, or contact Carers NT on 1800 200 422 to discuss other options.
Short Break Options
Residential respite for frail aged older clients, Darwin and Katherine aged care accommodation
If you are caring for someone who is frail or aged and you need to take a short break for some reason, aged care facilities are a good option because:
- they provide an opportunity for the person you're caring for to socialise with people of their own age and with similar interests, whilst also recieving residential care,
- for the Carer it provides a break from caring while being confident that the person you usually look after is receiving a high level of care,
- whether the person you care for needs a high level of care or only low care, both care options are available,
- Carers NT can make the arrangements for you
Carers NT can arrange temporary care in most of the Aged Care facilities in Darwin or Katherine.
Eligibility is that the person receiving care is:
- over 65 years old, if not an Aboriginal
- over 50 years old, if an Aboriginal
These beds are only available for people who have been assessed by the Aged Care Assessment Team (ACAT).
If you need an assessment please contact the Team on:
- Darwin Region 8922 7392
- Katherine Region 8973 8503
Cost
The daily fees are set at the standard residential contribution rate for pensioners which is 85% of the Single Aged Pension. This fee may be subsidised by the Carer Respite Centre.
Contact Carers NT on 1800 200 422
Care support (either in or out of the home)
If you have found that providing the level of care the person you are caring for is becoming more difficult or you want some help and support in providing that care, if you just want to have a break from some of your caring responsibilities
Carers NT can arrange for a support worker to assist in providing care. These support workers could provide any or all of the following services. (Note - this is not a complete list):
- Preparing meals
- House cleaning
- Personal Care such as showering.
Contact Carers NT on 1800 200 422 to discuss your options.
Darwin community respite house
For carers who are working or studying
Should you be working or studying in the Darwin region and also caring for an ageing relative who is low care, but who can't be left unsupervised, and you want a safe, home-like environment where they can stay while you're busy during the day, and where they can socialise with other people their own age
Our Carers NT Community Respite House in Darwin may be what you're looking for.
The House is situated in Wulagi and operates Monday to Friday from 7:30am until 6:00 pm, and is staffed by three permanent, qualified and experienced staff.
At the Wulagi Respite House care recipients can enjoy:
- socialising with other people their own age
- activities which vary day to day to day depending on clients needs
- daily passive exercise
- weekly lunch outings to various venues
- crafts, board games, cards and music
- flexibility in choosing which days to attend (depending on availability)
Other facilities at the Wulagi Respite House include:
- special dietary needs can be catered for
- medical appointments can be accommodated (with prior arrangement with the co ordinator)
- podiatrist visit approximately every eight weeks
- affordable rates
Contact Carers NT on 1800 200 422
Darwin aged care cottage respite
For people who would like a break from caring, Carers NT can arrange for care recipients to stay in one of our 3 cottages located in the suburbs of Darwin. 24 hour care is provided by trained support workers for up to 5 days at a time.
The facilities at these short term cottages include:
- fully furnished, including cooking facilities, bed linen, hand rails, a shower chair, a wheel chair, TV and DVD player, garden and verandah
- support workers are rostered 24 hrs to provide personal care, supervision, cooked balanced meals and a friendly chat
Benefits:
- the cottages provide a ‘home away from home' feeling, that is more homely than an aged care facility
- individualised care is provided, since each cottage accommodates a maximum of two clients
Who is eligible?
- the person receiving care must be over 65 years of age (50 for an indigenous person), and
- the person receiving care may have a disability, or a chronic illness, and
- their carer is not being paid to provide care for them.
Cost
There is a small fee of $20 per night which may be subsidised by the Carers NT Respite Centre.
Contact Carers NT on 1800 200 422
Mental health respite
If you are caring for someone with a mental illness, psychiatric disability or an intellectual disability the respite care requirements are different from the requirements of other carers due to the episodic nature of mental illness. Therefore respite alternatives are very individualised.
Help available:
- a wide variety of flexible services are available
- services may be provided directly to the carer, or indirectly by providing providing alternative care to the care recipient.
Contact us on 1800 200 422
Darwin carer retreat room
If you ever need somewhere to get away from it all, for a couple of hours. How would you like your own 'Carers Retreat'?
Carers NT has a room set aside just for carers to use, their own Carers Retreat.
The room is fitted out with:
- a computer with internet access and printer
- TV and DVD player
- Wii console with several games
- comfortable lounge chairs
- massage chair
- a play area for children, complete with toys
It also comes with an amazing view of the Bayview Marina.
It's a special place for carers to spend time to relax and refresh.
Open hours are 8:30am to 4:30pm.
No booking necessary, just drop in!
Contact Carers NT on 08 89 444 888 if you have any questions.
See our other useful links
Who is a carer?
A family carer provides unpaid care and support to a family member or friend who has a disability, a mental illness, a chronic condition, a terminal illness, or who is frail.
Getting a break at a short term respite house in Darwin
Getting a break at Wulagi respite house
