Day Respite Service for Elderly Persons

Introduction

Day respite service for elderly persons provides short-term day care for the elderly persons living in the community to relieve the pressure of the carers so that they may take short-term breaks or attend to other matters when required.  It aims at encouraging and helping elderly persons to continue living in the community as long as possible.

Day respite service is provided by all subsidised day care centres / units for the elderly (DEs / DCUs). Starting from 1 December 2023, some private residential care homes for the elderly under the "Enhanced Bought Place Scheme" (EBPS) which provide designated residential respite places will, on top of residential respite care services, provide day respite services for needy elderly persons in the community when vacant designated respite service places are available.

Service hours of day respite services in DEs / DCUs are from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., from Mondays to Saturdays (some of the centres/units provide extended hours service). The service hours of day respite services in EBPS homes are from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., from Mondays to Sundays (including public holidays). Users of day respite services do not need to be assessed under the Standardised Care Need Assessment Mechanism for Elderly Services.  There are no restrictions on their living district.  

Eligibility Criteria

Elderly persons who require short-term day care and meet the following conditions can be accepted for day respite service:

1. aged 60 or above living in the community and not receiving residential care services;
2. in need of general personal care and / or limited nursing care service;
3. physically and mentally suitable for communal living; and
4. the health condition and self-care ability meet the level of personal and nursing care rendered by the centres / units / residential homes that provide day respite service.

Fee

$41.5 per day

Application Procedure

Needy elderly persons and their carers may:

1. call the Designated Hotline for Carer Support 182 183 for social workers to assist in arranging and matching respite services;
2. apply directly via the concerned residential care homes/centres/units; or
3. through referrals from Integrated Family Service Centres / Integrated Services Centres, Medical Social Services Units or elderly service units (e.g. District Elderly Community Centres and Neighbourhood Elderly Centres).

Information of Service Units