Respite services for people with a disability
Respite care is designed to provide relief for a carer who has the responsibility for a person requiring ongoing care, attention or support; it may be used in times of unavailability of the carer, for any reason. It gives the regular carer the opportunity for time out, while still ensuring quality care for the DVA client.
Respite care may be provided in different ways depending on the individual situation. Care may be provided:
- in-home
- in an Australian Government-funded residential aged care facility or
- as emergency respite care in the recipient’s home.
For more information see our pages:
Respite services are provided both by the Commonwealth Government and the State and Territory Governments; and some respite services are provided jointly.
SHOAMP Health Care Scheme: Respite services may be available to carers of seriously ill F-111 SHOAMP Health Care Scheme Group 1 participants, subject to an assessment for eligibility.
Veterans’ Home Care Services:
Respite services are funded by DVA and are accessed through the Veterans' Home Care (VHC) program. To be eligible, the recipient/disabled person must be either a Veteran Card - All Conditions or Veteran Card - Specific Conditions holder.
The types of VHC respite services available are:
- in-home respite
- residential respite
- emergency short-term home relief.
In any one financial year, DVA may pay for up to 28 days (196 hours) of in-home or residential respite care, or a combination of both. {Seven hours of in-home respite is equivalent to one day in a residential respite facility}.
The Veterans Home Care program also includes personal care services, domestic assistance and home and garden maintenance
Please see our page Help so you can stay in your home.
Access to services is based on assessed need. DVA clients can call their VHC Assessment Agency for an assessment on 1300 550 450.
Other support services
In addition to respite care, DVA also provides compensation for Attendant Care and Household Services to veterans with accepted service-related conditions.
Attendant Care
Attendant Care compensation can be provided to assist veterans with regular and essential personal care tasks they can no longer do because of their accepted service-related injury or condition. Attendant care compensation can be used to pay for help with:
- bathing
- toileting
- grooming
- dressing; and
- feeding
More information about compensation for Attendant Care services.
Household Service
Household Services compensation can be provided to assist veterans with routine domestic tasks in and around their home they can no longer do because of their accepted service-related conditions.
Household services compensation can be used to pay for services such as:
- domestic cleaning
- meal preparation
- shopping
- laundry and ironing
- lawn mowing
- gardening
- gutter cleaning and window cleaning.
More information about Household Services.
Additional Assistance
For more information call DVA on 1800 VETERAN (1800 838 372).
For a VHC Assessment Agency call 1300 550 450.
Other respite care services available nationally
My Aged Care
My Aged Care is your starting point to access government funded aged care services and can help explain what types of services are available.
Go to myagedcare.gov.au or call 1800 200 422.
Commonwealth Respite and Carelink Centres
This Commonwealth Government initiative provides information on home help, home modification and maintenance, nursing and respite care, transport and meal services, day care and therapy, assessment dementia services, continence, aged care homes, allied health and support groups.
For further information, call 1800 052 222.