What it costs: Priced the same as the comparable level of hourly care (companion or personal), just without a long-term commitment.
What respite care actually covers
Respite care is short-term coverage - anywhere from a few hours to several days - that gives a family caregiver a genuine break: to rest, travel, handle their own health, or simply breathe. It's delivered by the same caregivers with dementia experience as our other services, at whatever level of care (companion or personal) actually fits the need.
- Flexible scheduling from a few hours to multiple days
- No long-term contract or ongoing commitment required
- The same video interview as every caregiver we send
- Can include companion-level or personal-care-level support, as needed
- Ideal for testing paid care before committing to a regular schedule
Why respite care is often the right first step
A huge share of families try respite care before anything else - it's a low-risk way to see how a caregiver interacts with your loved one, without committing to a recurring schedule. It's also simply necessary: caregiver burnout is real and well-documented, and family caregivers who never get a break are at meaningfully higher risk of their own health problems.
Respite is equally valuable for a single event (a wedding, a medical procedure of your own, a trip that can't be postponed) as it is for an ongoing, regular breather built into your week.
Who this service is right for
Any family caregiver who hasn't had real time off in a while. You don't need a specific crisis to justify respite care - needing rest is reason enough, and starting before burnout sets in is far better than waiting until you're already exhausted.
What it costs
Respite is priced at whatever level of hourly care actually fits your loved one's needs (companion or personal care rates), just without a long-term commitment. There's no premium for the flexibility - it's simply care on your schedule.
What it costs where you live
Respite care is billed at the same hourly rates as the care it stands in for, so the range below applies directly.
The figures below are the going hourly range for in-home dementia care in each city we cover, not for this service alone. They move with local wages more than with anything else, which is why the same care costs half as much again in one city as in another. Each city links to a fuller local guide.
| City | Typical hourly range |
|---|---|
| Baltimore, MD | $24 to $34 |
| Boston, MA | $26 to $40 |
| Buffalo, NY | $20 to $30 |
| Charlotte, NC | $24 to $32 |
| Chicago, IL | $24 to $36 |
| Columbus, OH | $22 to $32 |
| Dallas, TX | $22 to $34 |
| Denver, CO | $24 to $34 |
| Detroit, MI | $22 to $32 |
| Houston, TX | $22 to $34 |
| Los Angeles, CA | $27 to $40 |
| Memphis, TN | $22 to $32 |
| Miami, FL | $35 |
| Milwaukee, WI | $22 to $32 |
| Naples, FL | $35 |
| New York, NY | $28 to $42 |
| Philadelphia, PA | $26 to $34 |
| Phoenix, AZ | $22 to $33 |
| San Antonio, TX | $20 to $30 |
| San Diego, CA | $26 to $38 |
| Seattle, WA | $28 to $40 |
| Tampa, FL | $35 |
| Tucson, AZ | $20 to $30 |
Ranges are what families in each city are currently quoted, and are a guide rather than a price. What you pay depends on hours, the caregiver's experience, and how much notice you can give.
Frequently Asked Questions
How far in advance do I need to book respite care?
For planned events, a few days' notice helps us match the right caregiver, but we understand respite is often needed on short notice - call us directly if you need help fast.
Can respite care turn into ongoing care later?
Absolutely, and it often does. Many families start with respite to test the fit, then move to a regular weekly schedule once they see how it goes.
Is there a minimum number of hours for respite care?
We work with whatever timeframe actually fits your situation, from a few hours to several days - there's no rigid minimum.