Quick answer
Respite care is short-term care that gives a family caregiver a break. It can be a home care aide for a few hours, a day at an adult day center, or a short stay in an assisted living community or nursing home. It is mostly paid privately, but Medicare's hospice benefit covers short inpatient respite stays for people in hospice, and your Area Agency on Aging may know of local respite programs. (800) 614-8388 to find respite options near you.
Kinds of respite care
| Type | How it works | Good for |
|---|---|---|
| In-home respite | An aide comes to the house for a few hours or overnight | Regular breaks, errands, sleep |
| Adult day center | Your parent spends the day at a supervised center with meals and activities | Working caregivers; social time for your parent |
| Short-stay respite in a community | A furnished apartment in assisted living or memory care for days or weeks | Vacations, surgery recovery, a trial run of community living |
| Respite in a nursing home | Short stay with 24-hour nursing | Parents with heavy medical needs |
What respite care costs
Costs follow the type of care. In 2025 the median home care rate was $34 an hour in Kansas and $33 in Missouri. Adult day health care had a median daily rate of $200 in Kansas and $95 in Missouri. Assisted living communities usually price respite by the day; ask for the daily rate and any minimum stay. Figures are from the CareScout Cost of Care Survey 2025.
Who helps pay
- Medicare hospice benefit. If your parent is in hospice, Medicare can cover inpatient respite care so the caregiver can rest; you may pay 5% of the Medicare-approved amount.
- Area Agency on Aging. Local agencies run caregiver support programs and know of respite funding. Find yours through the Eldercare Locator at 1-800-677-1116. In Johnson County, start with Johnson County Aging and Human Services; on the Missouri side, the Mid-America Regional Council.
- Lifespan Respite programs. Federally funded state programs that help families find and sometimes pay for respite.
- VA. Veterans enrolled in VA health care may qualify for respite care.
- Medicaid waivers. Some state waiver programs include respite for people who qualify.
How to set it up
- Decide what kind of break you need: a few hours a week, or a week away.
- Book early. Short-stay apartments fill up around holidays.
- Prepare a one-page sheet: medications, routines, doctors, what calms your parent.
- Do a short trial first, so your parent meets the people and the place.
- Use the time for yourself. That's the point.
Need a break soon?
Tell us when and where. We'll find in-home help or a short-stay apartment that fits. Free.
Questions families ask
How long can respite care last?
From a few hours to several weeks. Communities usually set a minimum stay of a few days for short-stay respite.
Does Medicare pay for respite care?
Only through the hospice benefit, for people enrolled in hospice. Otherwise respite is usually private pay or funded by local programs.
Is respite care a good way to try assisted living?
Yes. A short stay lets your parent try the meals, people and routine before deciding on a move.
What if I feel guilty taking a break?
Most caregivers do. Rest is how you keep caring well. A planned break is far better than burnout.
Sources
- ACL: Lifespan Respite Care Program
- Medicare.gov: Hospice care (including inpatient respite care)
- VA.gov: Long-term care and geriatrics
- Eldercare Locator (U.S. Administration for Community Living), 1-800-677-1116
- CareScout Cost of Care Survey 2025, Median Cost Data Tables (survey July to November 2025; median cost data tables, published March 2026)