Residential respite service is a form of temporary or short-term residential care service for the elderly person. It serves the objective of providing temporary relief for family members or relatives who are the main caregivers of the elderly requiring a certain degree of personal care whilst residing in the community. It aims at encouraging and helping the elderly to continue living in the community for as long as possible.

Residential Respite Service, not a Long-term Care Service, renders to each elderly person on each occasion shall neither be less than 24 hours, nor more than 6 weeks which is also the maximum accumulative duration of repeated use of the service in a continuous period within the 12 months preceding the date of admission for Respite Service.

Referrals for admission to residential respite service should be made by a social worker. Elderly persons or their families may approach elderly service units.

The service areas of respective DECCs and NECs

Vacancy Enquiry System for Respite Services

For the elderly who stays in the hospital meanwhile, you may contact medical social worker for further detail on applying respite service.

For the details of the service, you may refer to the following Social Welfare Department website.

Social Welfare Department - Residential Respite Service for the Elderly

The source of information is provided by the Social Welfare Department