Respite care typically costs between $35 per hour for in-home help and $100 to $355 per day for facility-based care, depending on the type of service and where you live. The total you’ll pay depends on whether you need a few hours of non-medical help at home, a full day at an adult day center, or an overnight stay at an assisted living or nursing facility.
In-Home Respite Care Costs
Hiring a non-medical caregiver to come to your home is the most common form of respite care. The national median hourly rate is $35, based on the 2025 CareScout Cost of Care Survey. State-level rates range from about $24 to $43 per hour, so your location makes a significant difference. A typical 8-hour day of in-home respite runs roughly $280 at the national median.
If the person you’re caring for needs medical attention, such as wound care, medication management, or physical therapy, you’ll need a private duty nurse rather than a home health aide. The national median for skilled nursing in the home is $90 per hour, with a median per-visit rate of $160. This level of care must be ordered by a physician and is a meaningfully different (and more expensive) service than non-medical companionship or personal care.
Adult Day Center Costs
Adult day centers offer structured programs during business hours, usually including meals, activities, and supervision. They’re one of the most affordable respite options for caregivers who work during the day or simply need a regular break. The national median daily rate is $95, which works out to about $24,700 per year if used five days a week. Many centers also offer part-day rates or flexible schedules, though availability varies.
Residential and Facility-Based Respite
For overnight or multi-day respite stays, assisted living communities and nursing homes offer short-term rooms. Assisted living respite generally runs $100 to $300 per day, depending on the facility and level of care needed. Nursing home respite costs more: the national median is $315 per day for a semi-private room and $355 for a private room. These stays are typically available for a few days to a few weeks and can be useful when a caregiver needs to travel, recover from illness, or simply recharge after an extended period of caregiving.
Keep in mind that facility-based respite often requires a minimum stay (commonly three to five days), and some communities charge a one-time assessment fee before admission. Availability can be limited, so booking a few weeks in advance is common, especially in smaller markets.
What Medicare Covers
Medicare only covers respite care in one specific situation: when the person receiving care is enrolled in hospice. Under the hospice benefit, a patient can stay in an inpatient facility for up to five days at a time to give the caregiver a break. You pay 5% of the Medicare-approved amount for each respite stay, and your share can’t exceed the inpatient hospital deductible for that year. Outside of hospice, Medicare does not pay for respite care.
Medicaid and State Programs
Medicaid is one of the most significant funding sources for respite care, but coverage depends entirely on your state. Through Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) waivers, states can cover respite care as part of a broader package that also includes personal care, home health aides, adult day services, and case management. These waiver programs are designed to help people stay in their homes rather than moving to institutional care.
The catch is that HCBS waivers have eligibility requirements (both financial and clinical), and many states maintain waitlists. Your local Area Agency on Aging can help you determine whether your state offers a waiver program and how to apply.
Some states also operate Lifespan Respite Care Programs, which provide vouchers or small grants specifically for caregivers who don’t qualify for other publicly funded programs. Not every state has one, but where they exist, they can fill a real gap for families caught between earning too much for Medicaid and not being able to afford regular respite on their own.
VA Respite Benefits for Veterans
All enrolled veterans are eligible for respite care through the VA if they meet clinical criteria, primarily needing help with daily activities like bathing, dressing, or preparing meals. The program also serves veterans who are socially isolated or whose caregivers are experiencing significant burden. The VA provides up to 30 days of nursing home respite care per calendar year. Respite can also be delivered through community agencies or adult day centers, though veterans may need to meet additional community care eligibility requirements.
Grants, Scholarships, and Sliding-Scale Options
Several national and local programs help families pay for respite care when insurance and government programs fall short. The National Family Caregiver Support Program, administered through local Area Agencies on Aging, provides funding for caregivers of people over 60 or of any age with Alzheimer’s disease or related dementias. This is often one of the easiest programs to access because it doesn’t require a Medicaid application.
Disease-specific organizations sometimes offer their own grants. The Association for Frontotemporal Degeneration runs the Comstock Respite Grant Program, and the Hilarity for Charity (HFC) Caregiver Respite Program covers the cost of professional in-home care or adult day center time. Many faith-based organizations, including Lutheran Services in America, provide respite at no or low cost for older adults, people with disabilities, and their caregivers.
At the local level, some adult day centers offer need-based scholarships or use sliding fee scales based on household income. The ARCH National Respite Network maintains a directory of state-level respite programs and can help you identify what’s available in your area.
What Drives the Price Up or Down
Geography is the single biggest factor. In-home care in Mississippi might cost $24 an hour while the same service in Alaska or Massachusetts runs $40 or more. Urban areas with higher costs of living and more competitive labor markets tend to charge more, though they also tend to have more providers and program options.
The level of care matters just as much. Non-medical companionship and help with daily tasks sits at the low end of the cost spectrum. Care for someone with advanced dementia, complex medical needs, or behavioral challenges costs more because it requires trained staff, sometimes at a one-to-one ratio. Overnight and weekend hours often carry a premium as well.
Finally, how you find and hire the caregiver affects cost. Going through an agency is more expensive than hiring independently, but agencies handle background checks, insurance, tax withholding, and backup coverage if a caregiver calls in sick. Independent caregivers offer lower hourly rates, but you take on the responsibility of vetting and managing the arrangement yourself.