Respite care over the holidays: a short break for the family caregiver

Family caregivers carry a lot. The Alzheimer's Association's 2026 Facts and Figures report says nearly 13 million Americans provide unpaid care for someone with Alzheimer's or another dementia, and that unpaid caregivers gave more than 19 billion hours of care in 2025. The holidays add their own load on top of that: travel, cooking, family to host, and a loved one who may find a full, noisy house hard.

You are allowed to need a break. That is what respite care is for.

What respite care is

The National Institute on Aging describes respite care as short-term relief for primary caregivers, giving them time to rest, travel or spend time with other family and friends. It can happen at home, in a care setting, or at an adult day center. Sometimes family, friends or volunteers fill in.

For the holidays, Texas families usually choose one of three kinds:

• In-home help. A caregiver comes to the house for a few hours or overnight so you can shop, sleep or go to a party.
• Adult day programs. Your parent spends the day in a supervised group setting with meals and activities, and comes home at night.
• A short stay in a licensed home. Your parent stays in an assisted living or memory care home for a few days or weeks while you travel or recover. Many homes offer short stays when they have an open room. Ask early, because rooms go fast around the holidays.

A short stay has a second benefit. It lets your parent try a home without a long-term decision. Some families find their parent enjoys the company more than they expected.

Where to find respite care in Texas

• Take Time Texas. HHSC runs the Take Time Texas respite search, where you can search by ZIP code, city or county, by the age of the person you care for, and by the kind of respite, including in-home care and out-of-home care in assisted living. HHSC notes that a listing there is not an endorsement and does not confirm that a provider holds the license it needs, so check the license yourself.
• Aging and Disability Resource Centers. The Texas ADRCs answer at 855-937-2372 and can point you to local caregiver programs.
• The Eldercare Locator. The federal Eldercare Locator answers at 1-800-677-1116.
• Licensed homes near you. The Texas Senior Care Directory lists every HHSC-licensed assisted living home by county. Call two or three and ask: do you offer short stays, what is the daily or weekly rate, and how soon would you need paperwork from the doctor?

Who may help pay

Respite costs vary a lot. Here is what the sources say about help with the bill.

• Hospice. If your parent is on hospice, the NIA says Medicare covers most of the cost of up to five consecutive days of respite care in a hospital or skilled nursing home. Medicare.gov says you may pay 5 percent of the Medicare-approved amount for inpatient respite care.
• Medicaid. The NIA notes Medicaid may help. In Texas, HHSC lists respite care among the services in the STAR+PLUS Home and Community Based Services program for people who qualify.
• Veterans. If your parent served, ask the VA about caregiver and respite services, and see our guide to paying for care in Texas for Aid and Attendance.
• Private insurance. The NIA says most private health insurance plans do not cover respite care. Long-term care insurance policies differ, so read the policy or call the insurer.

Make the short stay go well

1. Book early. December rooms fill up.
2. Check the license the same way you would for a long-term move. Our license guide shows how in five minutes.
3. Send a one-page snapshot: medicines and times, what upsets your parent, what calms them, favorite foods, how they sleep.
4. Pack the familiar: their blanket, photos, the radio station they like.
5. Visit once, then let it work. Ask the home how they help a new guest settle in, and agree on when they will call you.
6. Rest for real. Respite only helps if you use it to recover.

You are not alone in this

Caregiver support groups meet across Texas, many at churches, libraries and hospitals, and they are listed on our events calendar as hosts post them. A room full of people who understand can help as much as a few nights of sleep.