Elder’s respite care service

Elder’s respite care service

Need to take a temporary break to take a holiday, run some errands, or deal with an emergency? Learn how live-in respite care could minimise disruption to your loved one’s daily routine while you’re away.

Need to take a temporary break to take a holiday, run some errands, or deal with an emergency? Learn how live-in respite care could minimise disruption to your loved one’s daily routine while you’re away.

Used by 5,000+ families across Great Britain

When might respite care be needed? ​

Unforeseen circumstances

If the primary carer falls ill or has to deal with an emergency

To trial full-time care

Support a smooth transition to full-time care in the future 

Following a hospital stay

Support while a person recovers from an operation or illness

treatment for dementia - An Elder guide

To cover a holiday

When primary caregivers needs to take a much-needed break

Choose your carer

Pick your favourite self-employed carer  from personalised matches.

Keep your routine

From 3 days to a few weeks – now or in the future, you set the scope of your service.

More affordable

No joining fees, and carers don’t charge extra over bank holidays

5-star support

Use our platform to plan and manage care, and chat to our support team. 

More choice

Pick your favourite self-employed carer  from personalised matches.

More control

From 3 days to a few weeks – now or in the future, you set the scope of your service.

More value

No joining fees, and carers don’t charge extra over bank holidays

More support

Use our platform to plan and manage care, and chat to our support team.

Why choose live-in respite care?

A lady helps an older woman in the kitchen to prepare potatoes.

Live-in respite care involves a self-employed carer of your choice moving into your loved one’s home for a set period of time. 

For elderly people with complex care needs, live-in care may support better peace of mind to concerned family members compared to visiting care or residential care. This is because they’ll have the full attention of one dedicated carer. 

Elder can also support with emergency respite care. Our responsive service has connected families to self-employed carers in under 24 hours, and we can offer greater flexibility around start and end dates. 

What caregiving tasks can a self-employed respite carer do?

Your care arrangement will be between yourself and your self-employed carer, who’ll use the information you share in your MyElder account to understand the personal care you require. 

Personal care
E.g help with washing, toileting, and prompting medication
Dressing and grooming
E.g Shaving and hairstyling
Meal preparation
E.g Cooking meals to dietary requirements and tastes
Light housekeeping
E.g Vacuuming, keeping surfaces clean and doing laundry
Running errands
E.g Going to the shops or picking up prescriptions
Companionship
E.g Providing company and encouraging hobbies and interests
Pet care
E.g Feeding and exercising pets
Mobility support
E.g encouraging gentle and suitable exercise
Light gardening
E.g watering flowers and keeping pathways clear
Admin support
E.g Keeping on top of post, paperwork, and appointments
Medication prompting
E.g Ensuring medication is taken correctly
Stoma care
PEG care
Wound care
Ventilation and oxygen support
E.g BiPAP or CPAP Support
Specialist drug administration
Including Controlled Drug Administration, Covert Medication Administration,
Glucose readings via finger pricks, Injections, Pessaries, Enemas, Suppositories

Cost of respite live-in care

With Elder, Families pay £625+ for three days, and £1450+ a week.

As with any type of care, there are funding options available. If you’ve not done so already, it’s worth asking your local authority for a care assessment. They’ll review your loved one’s needs and whether they’re eligible for financial assistance.

If you’re assessed as ineligible for help from your local authority, you may still be able to access help from a benevolent fund or charity. You can find information about possible funding sources from local carers’ groups, your GP, social worker or health visitor.

Arranging respite care with Elder

We’ve built a platform that makes it easier for families and self-employed carers to find each other, build ongoing relationships, and access dedicated support when they need it.

Share your request

Tell us your care requirements using our request form, including the dates you need care, any specialist skills you’re looking for, and what daily life looks like.

Select your carer

You’ll start receiving profiles of suitable self-employed carers within 24 hours. Chat to them online or arrange a phone or video call, before choosing who you like best.

Manage your care

Once your agreement with your carer begins, use your MyElder account to chat with them and the Elder team, manage your schedule and care information, and book future periods of care.

Find your ideal carer

We have connected over 5,000 families  and carers across the UK. Search for yours today. 

Benefits of in-home respite care

At-home respite care has the least disruption in routine and allows people to stay in a familiar and comfortable environment. It’s also a highly personalised type of care, tailored around your loved one’s lifestyle and the level of care they need.

Flexible 

Respite care does not have to be consistent. You may find that you only need a carer to work during the day, or overnight to allow you to have a break when’s most convenient to you. 

Cost and time effective 

With live-in respite care you can avoid the upheaval, transportation costs and waiting lists for temporary care home stays. And when you make repeat bookings with Elder you’ll get a discounted rate.

Suitable for dementia 

Change can be distressing for people living with dementia. Dementia respite care at home means a person can maintain their usual routine, in a place they recognise and feel comfortable in. 

Convenient 

With Elder you can remove future stress by pre-booking multiple periods of care, and easily make repeat bookings online, without unnecessary admin. 

Looking for dementia respite care?

85% of us would want to stay in our own home if diagnosed with dementia. Elder makes this possible.

Why's it important for carers to take a break?

A caring role can have big physical and mental health implications. Regular breaks ensure a carer has space to recharge their batteries, safe in the knowledge that a loved one is being well cared for. It helps to prevent caregiver stress and burnout, which over time may influence how you feel about the person you’re looking after. 

41% of carers state they haven't taken a break in the last 12 months

60% are living with a long-term health condition or disability

29% often feel lonely due to their caring responsibilities 

How does Elder’s service compare to other types of respite care?

Live-in respite care provided in your loved one’s own homes

Day centres

Group-based support in a local community centre,

Care holidays

Specialist holidays for carers and their loved one. 

Care homes

A short-term stay in a residential care home.

Additional information

Carers holiday grants

A number of charitable organisations have been set up to provide grants towards short breaks for carers across the UK.

These are available for low-income families, carers who would otherwise struggle to get away from their caregiving role, or those without a support network in place to help care for an elderly loved one.

  • Ogilvie Charities – Grants of up to £300 to give a complete break to a carer.
  • After Umbrage – Provides carers with free, four night breaks in a range of self-catering holiday cottages.
  • The Respite Association – Provides free holidays and holiday grants for carers. They offer self-catering cottages in both Cornwall and Wales.

Carers assessment

Local authorities also have a duty to assess carer needs when requested. This may be in the form of a one-to-one meeting, telephone or online discussion between the carer and a trained professional, who’ll consider the impact of the caring duties on the individual and their life. They’ll also consider support options and provide their decision in writing following the assessment.

If the assessment determines that you have ‘eligible needs’, the council will be in contact with you to discuss what assistance may be available. This could be in the form of financial help or practical support.

Even if you’re not eligible for support from your local authority, getting an assessment can still be valuable as they can put you in touch with other agencies such as voluntary organisations who may be able to help.

Carer's allowance

As a carer, you could also be entitled to a Carer’s Allowance which is a benefit specifically for informal carers who look after a person for more than 35 hours per week. If you find you’re ineligible for this, make sure you check whether Carer’s Credit is suitable.

FAQ’s

You’ll likely have some questions about whether Elder’s short-term respite care will work for you. We’ve covered some essential information below. 

About short-term live-in care

You can create your MyElder account by clicking this link.

Creating an account is free, and there’s no obligation to move forward with Elder once you’ve created your account.

Once you’ve created your MyElder account, you’ll need to complete some online clinical suitability questions and submit a ‘Care Request’. This can often be completed in under 10 minutes, and ensures Elder’s platform is right for your needs, and gives us the essential information we need to kick off the carer matching process. Questions cover –

  • Basic information such as the name, age and location of the person needing care
  • medical conditions
  • mobility level
  • hobbies and interest 
  • discrimination risk

Once submitted, our ElderMatch technology weill use your answers to shortlist suitable self-employed carers. You’ll usually recieve the profiles of suitable carers within 24 hours.

Profiles contain details of the carers experience and background, and feedback they’ve recieved from other families. You’ll also be able to view a short introductory video from the carer to get to know them a little better. You can invite other family members / decision makers to your account to help review potential carers, and can use the chat feature in MyElder to message the carers you’re interested in, and arrange a phone / video call with them. If you’re unsure what to ask potential carers, we have some suggestions here.

Once you’ve found a self-employed carer you’d like to work with, click ‘accept’ on their profile.

For more tips for choosing the right carer for your needs, click here.

Because we’re a marketplace operating across Great Britain we can often connect families to self-employed carers within 24 hours. In some urgent instances, we’ve facilitated matches same day.

If you’d prefer a carer who also speaks a second language, simply let us know.

Sometimes it’s difficult to know how long you’ll need care for, for example if the person who normally provides care falls ill, or if additional support is needed to support recovery after an illness or operation. With Elder you can book a period of short-term care with a rough end date, simply give us a call and let us know if you need to extend or amend your dates.

If your preferred carer is available then yes. It can help to book multiple periods at once if you can, to ensure your requirements can match up with your carers schedule.

Not at all, your MyElder account is a living document – it’ll exist for as long as you need it. All you’ll need to do when booking future care is check that the information in your care profile is still correct, and update any areas where the care needs have changed.


Many families use Elder Chat in your MyElder account to introduce themselves to their carer and arrange a follow-up phone or video call. If your carer is nearby and available, you may also be able to arrange a face-to-face meeting between yourselves before their first day.

Yes, we give you the choice if you’d prefer a male or female carer, simply let us know if you or your loved one has a preference.

Yes. Every carer who joins our platform must have a good level of written and spoken English.

If you’d prefer a carer who also speaks a second language, simply let us know.

Your MyElder account has been built to be your all-in-one care management platform. With it you can –

  • add other family members to get them involved in the arrangements
  • communicate with your carer and the Elder team via Elder chat
  • view your schedule and plan handover days when your carer takes a break
  • read updates from your carer with the Care Logs feature
  • keep the Care Profile up to date reflecting any changes to your care needs
  • easily update payment information and track your invoices

About Elder

Elder is an online marketplace connecting families needing care to self-employed carers. We use technology to match you to the most suitable carers and allow you to choose the carer you feel best fits your needs.

We also give you the simple online tools you need to manage care. And, unlike with a care agency, your care agreement will be between you and your self-employed carer. This gives you complete control over the care experiences, ensuring your loved one is cared for in a way they’re comfortable with – protecting independence, dignity, and routine.

You can find out more about how Elder works here.

We understand that families put a lot of trust in the self-employed carers on our platform, so to join our platform carers must pass the following suitability screening –

  • have previous experience providing care either in people’s homes, or in a care home or specialist facility. We don’t accept personal care experience alone.
  • have a good understanding of the English language (written and spoken)
  • have a valid form of photo I.D
  • have the Right to Work in the UK
  • have the ability to pass an enhanced DBS check (England and Wales only)
  • be able to provide at least 2 verifiable professional references
  • complete situational judgement and character screening

We recommend all self-employed carers using our platform take out the relevant insurance. We’ve partnered with a third-party insurance company – Fish Insurance to make this process easier for self-employed carers.

At Elder we help families and self-employed carers do three critical things safely: (1) find each other, (2) match with each other and (3) manage their ongoing relationship directly. We enable this through the development of technology and processes that families and carers use. The agreement for care is between the customer and the self-employed carer – therefore Elder is not required to be registered with the Care Quality Commission or the Care Inspectorate.

However, everything we do at Elder is underpinned by respect, transparency, safety, and integrity. You can read our full safety and trust policy here.

You can find our full list of policies and standards here.