DementiaRoadmap

Helping primary care to support people with dementia
Caring well → Respite

Respite

Respite care is short-term care used as a temporary alternative to a person’s usual care arrangements.

People who care for someone with dementia often carry on without realising how tired or tense they have become. A break or holiday can help them relax and recharge their batteries. It is important that carers have regular breaks and make time for their own needs.

Respite care may also be needed in other situations. For example, the carer might have to go into hospital, or might have other important commitments.

Share this page

Resources
Groups

Resources

  • Turning up the volume: unheard voices of people with dementiaThis report published by the Alzheimer’s Society brings together views of more than 3,500 people with dementia, carers and the public on what it is like to live with dementia.
  • State of Caring 2017This survey undertaken by Carers UK paints a comprehensive picture of caring in 2017 and more than 7,000 people responded, making it the largest State of Caring Survey to date.
  • Integrated approach to identifying and assessing Carer health and wellbeingThis toolkit published by NHS England clarifies the new duties on NHS organisations under the Care Act 2014 and the Children and Families Act 2014, provides a template Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to support joined up working locally, and includes examples of positive practice of work that have proven successful in supporting carers and their families.
  • The experiences, needs and outcomes for carers of people with dementiaThis comprehensive literature review undertaken by the the Association of Dementia Studies at the University of Worcester, examines the experiences and needs of carers of people with dementia and the evidence of outcomes produced from a wide range of interventions. Download The experiences, needs and outcomes ...
  • Women and Dementia: A global research overviewThis report published by Alzheimer’s Disease International explores the main issues affecting women in relation to dementia from an international perspective.
  • Caring for CarersThe Caring for Carers Hub developed by the Royal College of General Practitioners is a web based tool that can help primary care staff to more effectively support carers and the people they care for.
  • Carers Evidence Summits ebookNHS Improving Quality has produced an ebook to share the Commitment to Carers achievements over the last year. It includes the findings from the regional Carers Evidence Summits and links to over 50 case studies.
  • Dementia CarerDementia Carer is a website that provides access to a wide range of video clips featuring carers discussing what helps them cope with issues they encounter in caring for someone with dementia.
  • Carers services guide – Setting up support services for carersThis guide published by Help the Hospices provides a framework for organisations planning to set up support services for carers of people with life-limiting and terminal illnesses.
  • Recognised, valued and supported: Next steps for the Carers StrategyThis strategy identifies the actions that the Government will take between 2011-15 to support its priorities to ensure the best possible outcomes for carers and those they support.
  • What about me? Remembering the needs of carersThis short leaflet published by Marie Curie Cancer Care is a good starting point for anyone working in health, social care or other setting who is likely to come into contact with people approaching the end of life and their carers.
    • Show all

Groups