Department for Aging and Disability Services
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Options for Respite Care
In-home respite care can be provided by paid respite workers or volunteers coming to your home. Individual respite workers can be requested from:
- Agencies that provide financial management services to families receiving in-home support through the Kansas Medicaid waivers
- Social service organizations
- Home health agencies
- Homemaker service agencies
Another option for in-home respite is for families to self-direct their respite services by locating, hiring, and training their respite providers. Self-directed respite can be paid for privately or through Kansas Medicaid waivers as applicable.
Out-of-home respite care can be provided in a variety of settings such as family care homes, foster care homes, respite centers, nursing facilities, hospitals, adult day care centers, specialized camps, faith-based programs, and other community-based organizations that provide periodic respite care
For information and referrals, visit the Kansas Aging and Disability Resource Center or call 855-200-ADRC (2372).
Some considerations when choosing the best respite to suit your needs may include:
- Is transportation a concern?
- Is special equipment needed, and if so, does it have to be transported?
- Would the care recipient be more comfortable in the home setting, or would they enjoy an opportunity to experience different surroundings and cultivate peer relationships?
- Would the family caregiver be more comfortable having the care recipient at home, or would they enjoy having quality time without distractions?
- Cost of service
Resources
ABCs of Respite: A Consumer Guide for Family Caregivers
This guide is provided by the Access to Respite Care and Help (ARCH) National Respite Network. It is useful for determining what types of respite programs are available, how to locate, interview, and hire a personal care provider to meet your needs, and ideas on how to pay for respite.
Respite Care: Finding and Choosing Respite Services
This website details types of respite care services, how to select and pay for respite care services and providers, and strategies for successful respite care.
The Kansas Personal Assistance Supports and Services (K-PASS) Self-Direction Toolkit
Provides individuals with disabilities the information and tools needed to self-direct any component of their personal assistance services with information on recruiting, training, and evaluating personal care assistants.
Hiring an Agency for Respite Providers
Although independent respite providers are generally the least expensive, home or health care agencies are often easier to use. An agency finds and places providers who handle payroll and usually provides substitutes for sick or absent personnel. If problems occur, you also have specific avenues of recourse (complaints, mediation, or arbitration) unavailable when working with individuals.
For more information on respite for specific ages or conditions, see the ARCH National Respite Network and Resource Center for free downloadable ARCH Fact Sheets. ARCH also provides National Respite Guidelines that may help you learn what to look for high-quality respite.