The State of New Jersey offers a Statewide Respite Care Program is designed to provide assistance to families by giving caregivers a break from the daily responsibility of caring for an elderly or disabled relative or friend.

Respite services may be used so that caregivers can shop, get medical care, attend to personal matters, rest, vacation or cope with an emergency.

Respite may be used occasionally or at regularly scheduled times.

Eligibility for Respite

Families and other unpaid caregivers who are caring for an elderly or disabled individual and who need a break from caregiving responsibilities. The individual who needs care must:

• Reside in New Jersey
• Be age 18 or older
• Have income at or below $2,742 per month ($5,484 for couples)
• Have liquid resources of less than $40,000 (assets that can be converted to cash within 20 working days)
• Have a chronic physical or mental disability which would require supervision or assistance with basic daily needs from a caregiver.

They Include:

• Companion — Adult "sitter" or basic supervision provided in-home, on an hourly basis
• Homemaker/Home Health Aide — In-home, hourly or overnight service by a trained individual, including personal care and housekeeping
• Private Duty Nursing — In-home, hourly R.N. or L.P.N. service
• Adult Family Care — Short-term placement in the home of a trained, approved individual or family
• In-patient Care — Short-term placement in a licensed medical facility
• Social or Medical Adult Day Health Care — Out-of-home care in a structured, social and health related day program

Priority is given to those families where the impaired member is at risk of long-term care institutionalization due to inability of a caregiver to continue in that role. The individual requiring care is the only one whose income is considered when establishing eligibility for participation in this program. While the NJ Department of Health & Senior Services provides overall administration of the program, a sponsor agency in each county administers the program locally.