• Gives carers time to look after themselves and their own needs such as going to work, an appointment or a volunteer commitment
• Prevents social isolation by providing carers with opportunities to meet with friends or attend a support group
• Supports the social participation of people with dementia and their ability to pursue activities of interest
• Helps keep the carers healthy and improve the quality of care they provide
• Sustains carers so they can continue their caring role and the person with dementia can stay at home longer
• Provides carers and people living with dementia with an experience of different care facilities that may be required in the future.

Respite should be:

• affordable, reliable, flexible and tailored to meet the needs of people living with dementia and their carers
• incorporated in the early stages of caring and as part of an ongoing plan for support and assistance
• planned in advance to reduce the likelihood of emergencies due to carer strain.

Respite is not:

• Just a short break. Instead respite should be incorporated in the early stages of caring and as part of an ongoing plan for support and assistance.
• A sign that the carer is ‘not coping’. Respite helps sustain carers so they can continue their caring role and the person with dementia can stay at home longer.
• An indulgence. Respite keeps carers healthy and improves the quality of care they provide.
• An avoidance of responsibility or duty. Respite should be planned in advance to reduce the likelihood of emergencies due to carer strain.