Respite Care in Los Angeles County

  Respite Care

What is Respite Care?

“Respite care provides short-term breaks that can relieve stress, restore energy, and promote balance in your life. Even if working with family members or friends is difficult, there are many other respite care options and strategies that can ensure you get the help you need to restore your energy reserves and better fulfill your role as caregiver to your loved one.”  http://www.helpguide.org/elder/respite_care.htm

There are many forms of respite care resources in Los Angeles County.  Some types of Respite Care may include: 

In-home respite Informal family support and relief Online caregiver communities and video workshops Volunteer or paid companionship Personal care or skilled care assistance

Out-of-home respite Adult day programs Residential respite care Caregiver support groups

Do IHSS Providers provide Respite Care?

Yes! An IHSS Consumer may hire more than one Provider. These Providers might be able to give another Provider a break when it is needed.  The term Respite is generally not used in IHSS literature or when speaking about IHSS, but the Providers can be utilized for this purpose, depending on the Consumer’s needs and how they arrange the hours with the workers.

Note:  Providers must complete all IHSS requirements; that is the CBIs, Orientations and be enrolled as a Provider.  If they are not enrolled with the PASC registry they must complete that process also for PASC to refer them.

The BUP program in and of itself is not designed to give a person a break from care giving or to provide a vacation, but if a Consumer calls and is suddenly without help,  the BIP can find a temporary short term replacement Provider for Consumers who are enrolled in the program.  The Consumer should not call and say, “I need a Provider because my regular Provide is going on vacation.”  The regular Registry may be able to help in this situation.

For individual callers who are not eligible for IHSS or who are not on the IHSS program, refer them to the LA Caregivers Resource Center and they can assist them with their needs:  (800) 540-4442.

LACRC offers services to family caregivers of a brain impaired or frail, older adult and is for residents of Los Angeles County. Services include information and referral, counseling, family consultation, legal and financial consultation, respite, support groups, caregiver retreats, education and training, and Link 2 Care Internet support.

To be eligible for services, a client must be a caregiver or family member of an adult with a degenerative brain disease or a brain impairment which occurred after the age of 18. LACRC also assists family caregivers of frail adults, 60 years or older. Specific services of LACRC may have additional requirements. Most services are free or no cost.

We're here to help you. Contact Us!

For more information on consultations, support groups, workshops, or events, please call the LACRC at
1-800-540-4442 or complete our online form and an LACRC staff member will call you.

LACRC assists caregivers residing in Los Angeles County by directly providing:

Resources and Information


We provide information and community resources on all aspects of care using our automated database. We also provide fact sheets and articles from our library on specific brain impairing conditions..

Support Groups

In addition to facilitating our own support groups, we provide referrals to existing support groups in LA county sponsored by other agencies. Click on Support Groups for more information.

Family Consultations

We assist caregivers in resolving current issues and in planning for immediate and long-term care.

Short term Counseling

Individual and family sessions with counselors offer emotional support to caregivers coping with the strain of caregiving. Licensed LACRC staff members, or counselors of the Tingstad Older Adult Counseling Center, provide counseling sessions for 6 weeks.

Respite for Caregivers


LACRC provides respite services to relieve caregivers from the stresses of constant care. Respite is designed to provide temporary support so the caregiver may receive relief and rest. Limited funding is available for in-home help, or in an out-of –home setting such as an adult day center. Our 48Hr! Retreats provide caregivers with an opportunity to relax and focus on self care. Family consultants also help caregivers learn about stress management and other forms of respite.

Legal and Financial Consultations


A free consultation is available with an elder law attorney experienced in issues relevant to caregiving. The attorney can provide help with establishing durable powers of attorney, conservatorship, financial planning and clarification of community property laws.

Workshops for Families


Seminars, workshops, classes and conferences that address the physical and emotional needs of caregivers are offered throughout the year. Community eduation events about stress and behavior management, research, diagnosis, and other issues related to caregiving are held. See the LACRC Community Calendar for more event information.

48 Hr! Retreats


Overnight retreats provide opportunities for caregivers to meet others with similar experiences as well as provide an opportunity to relaxation. Retreats allow caregivers to take a break from the rigors of everyday caregiving responsibilities.