Respite care at home: a break for you, care for them
Respite care gives family carers time to rest, and covers short-term needs after a hospital stay or while you are away. From a few hours to a few weeks, across Tonbridge, Tunbridge Wells, Sevenoaks and Maidstone.
What is respite care?
Respite care is temporary care that gives a family carer a break, or covers a short-term need. All About Home Care provides respite care at home in Tonbridge, Tunbridge Wells, Sevenoaks and Maidstone, for a few hours, a few days or a few weeks.
Caring for someone you love is rewarding, but it can also be exhausting. Time to rest is not a luxury. It helps you keep going, and it benefits the person you care for, who enjoys the company and stimulation of a different face.
Care is delivered at home, in familiar surroundings, by trained carers. There is no long-term commitment, and we can change or extend the care if needs change.
When might you need respite care?
Regular breaks
A few hours each week, so you can rest, see friends or get on with your own life.
Holidays and time away
Cover for a few days or weeks while you are away, so you can go knowing your loved one is looked after.
After a hospital stay
Short-term support to help someone regain confidence at home after discharge. Nationally, the CQC reports that around 12% of long-stay delayed hospital discharges, about 1,000 people a day, are due to a lack of social care capacity (State of Care 2025/26).
When a family carer is unwell
Cover if you are ill, exhausted or simply need time to recover.
Emergencies and short notice
Care can often start within a few days, and in as little as 24 hours if it is urgent.
Trying care out
A short period of care is a gentle way to see whether having carers at home suits your family.
Respite care by day, by night or live-in
Respite is not a separate kind of care. It is any of our care options, used for a short time or on a regular basis.
Day respite
Visits from a carer during the day, from one hour, so you can take a break while your loved one is looked after at home.
About day careRespite nights
A carer stays overnight, either sleeping or waking, so the family can get the sleep they need.
About night careShort-term live-in
A carer lives in the home for a few days or weeks, ideal for covering a holiday or a period of recovery.
About live-in careRespite care for someone living with dementia
Caring for someone living with dementia can be physically and emotionally demanding. Our carers are trained in-house by a qualified Dementia Trainer, and we work to send familiar faces so your loved one feels at ease.
For people living with dementia in Kent, it may be possible to get funded respite care through Involve Kent. Read our guide to what to do if you think someone has dementia, or see funding support for the options.
How do I arrange respite care?
Call us, or request a free, no-obligation assessment. We talk through what you need, visit you at home, write a personalised care plan and tell you who will be caring for you. Care can often start within a few days, and in as little as 24 hours if it is urgent.
Respite care: common questions
What is respite care?
Respite care is temporary care that gives a family carer a break, or covers a short-term need such as recovery after a hospital stay. At All About Home Care it is delivered at home, by trained carers, for anything from a few hours to a few weeks.
How long can respite care last?
As long or as short as you need. Some families arrange a few hours a week. Others need a few days to cover a holiday, or a few weeks after a hospital discharge. If needs change, we adjust the plan or move to longer-term support.
Can respite care be arranged at short notice?
Often, yes. Care can usually start within a few days, and in as little as 24 hours if it is urgent. Call us on 01892 575 499 and we will talk through what is needed.
Can you cover a holiday or a hospital stay?
Yes. We can provide visiting care, overnight care or live-in care to cover time away, and support to help someone regain confidence at home after a hospital stay.
Can respite care be provided for someone living with dementia?
Yes. Our carers are trained in-house by a qualified Dementia Trainer, and we try to send familiar faces so the person living with dementia feels at ease. Read about our dementia care.
How is respite care paid for?
Some families pay privately. Others may be eligible for help from the local authority, or, for people living with dementia in Kent, funded respite through Involve Kent. Our funding support page explains the options, and we are happy to talk it through.
Will the same carers visit?
We aim for a small, regular team so your loved one gets to know them. For a short break we will do our best to match carers to your preferences and routines.
Need a break, or care at short notice?
Free, no-obligation care assessments across Tonbridge, Tunbridge Wells, Sevenoaks and Maidstone.
Or email enquiries@allabouthomecare.co.uk, or · ways to pay for care