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QUEENSLAND 2020
w w w. A g e d C a r e G u i d e . c o m . a u
Taking a break Taking some time off from caring is crucial and known as ‘respite’. Respite care offers the opportunity for both you and your carer to take a break. This may be for a few hours, a day, a night or a few weeks. Residential respite
Residential respite
To receive respite care in an aged care home, you require an assessment by an Aged Care Assessment Team (ACAT) except in emergencies. See page 47 for more information about ACAT. Usually, you may 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 deemed necessary by the ACATs. When you have received approval by the ACAT, you may apply directly to the aged care facility for respite. Access to respite care is based on eligibility and need. Although residential aged care homes are allocated respite places, they are not required to keep these solely available for respite provision. You will need to book this respite in advance, although in the case of emergencies, it can be organised quite quickly. You can also use residential respite as a way of finding out about the quality of care at a nursing home before deciding if the home is a good place for you to permanently move into.
Cost
For respite in a Government funded aged care home you will pay the equivalent of 85 percent of the single rate of Age Pension (called the Basic Daily Fee and currently $52.25 per day – March 2020), regardless of whether you are a pensioner or not. A booking fee may also be charged to assist in securing a place. This is a pre-payment of respite care fees, not an additional payment, and it cannot be more than a full week’s fee or 25 percent of the entire stay’s fee, whichever amount is the lowest. For respite in an ‘Extra Services’ home you may be asked to pay an extra fee to cover the cost of the higher standard of services. For more information, contact the Carer Gateway on 1800 422 737. Go to page 35 to read about respite options in your own home or community.