Respite Care in Bristol

A Break for You, Good Care for Them

Respite care in Bristol is a short, planned stay in one of our care homes, usually for a few days or weeks, so that the person who normally cares for a loved one at home can rest. Your loved one is looked after by trained staff in a warm, safe place, and then goes home again.

Need to relax, knowing your loved one is safe and benefiting from tailored support and professional care? Need a break from your usual caring routine? If you look after someone you love, you probably put yourself last. AbleCare Homes is a family-run provider with more than 40 years of experience. Respite is one of our flexible care services, designed for adults who normally live at home and want to stay as independent as possible.

Below, we're exploring what a short stay involves, who it helps, how we arrange it and how a quick, easy check-in works.

Respite Care for Carers

Caring is rewarding, but it is also tiring. It can affect your mental health and your well-being. Many carers tell us they feel guilty about resting. We hear this often, and we want to say clearly: you deserve a break.

A short stay can give you time to:

Sleep properly, without listening for a call in the night
Go on holiday or visit family
Recover from illness or an operation of your own
Catch up on appointments, errands and time with friends
Simply rest, without being on call

Respite care for carers protects your health. It is a key part of our care services. A rested carer is better able to care well, and for longer. Carers need looking after too, and good respite care for carers helps with your well-being as well as theirs.

Respite Care for Elderly Adults

Respite care for elderly adults is not only for

the carer's benefit. Many older adults enjoy the change. They meet new people, join in activities and enjoy meals they do not have to cook.

It can also act as a gentle introduction to life in a care home. If long-term care is something you may need later, a short stay lets them see what it is like. There is no commitment.

What Our Respite Care Offers

Our respite care is built to be easy to use when you are already stretched. It includes:

A quick and easy check-in, so there is no long wait on the day
24 hour personal care throughout the stay
24 hour respite in case of an emergency
Short break weekends, through to longer multiweek stays that allow for holidays and recuperation
Trial short stays as a taster for a longer stay, with continuity of approach and support

Whether you need a weekend away or several weeks to recover, the care is tailored to the person staying with us, delivered by trained and professional staff.

When Might a Short Stay Help?

Every family's situation is different. Here are some of the most common reasons people come to us.

A Planned Break

You may know that you need a week away, or that you have a family event coming up. Booking ahead gives everyone time to prepare.

After a Hospital Stay

Sometimes a person is well enough to leave hospital but not yet ready to manage alone. A longer stay can support recuperation, with 24 hour personal care while they regain strength, in a setting with the facilities and care they require.

When the Carer Is Unwell

If you are ill or having treatment, someone else needs to step in. A short stay care home Bristol families can rely on gives you peace of mind while you recover.

In an Emergency

If something unexpected happens, such as a sudden illness or a carer who cannot continue, we offer 24 hour respite in case of an emergency. Call us as soon as you can and we will do everything we can to help.

A Trial Before Long-Term Care

A trial short stay works as a taster for a longer stay, with continuity of approach and support if you decide to stay longer. It also helps you decide about the future, whether that means more home care, a different set of support or a move to long-term care. It shows what daily life in a care home is really like, for you both.

How a Respite Stay Is Arranged

We keep it simple, and we provide help at every step. You should not need to fill in endless forms while you are already tired.

Get in touch. Call or contact us. Tell us a little about the person you care for and when you need support.

Talk it through. We ask about health, routines, likes and dislikes, and any worries you have.

Visit the home. Come and see the rooms and facilities, meet the team and ask questions. It is also a chance to see the location for yourself and check the accessibility of the home.

Plan the stay. We agree dates and write a care plan that reflects their habits. At the end of the stay, we talk through how it went.

Settle in. Your family member arrives with a few familiar belongings. We help them feel at home from the first hour.

Stay in touch. We keep you updated during the stay, as much or as little as you would like.

Availability changes through the year, so it is best to ask early. You can also look at current availability for more information on dates.

Respite Care Homes in Bristol and South Gloucestershire

We run six care homes across Bristol and South Gloucestershire, each offering a different setting within our care services. Each has its own atmosphere, its own facilities and its own accessibility features, such as lifts and chairlifts. You can see them all on our care homes page.

Frenchay House

Frenchay House is a Grade II listed building overlooking Frenchay Common. It offers standard rooms and private suites. It is rated Good by the CQC.

Patron House, Westbury-on-Trym

Patron House is small and friendly, with up to 12 residents. It has two lounges and a chairlift to the first floor. It has a true family feel.

Hengrove Lodge

Hengrove Lodge sits off Wells Road in BS14. All rooms are single. There is an orangery, a piano lounge and a secluded patio garden. It is rated Good by the CQC

Crossley House and Belvedere Lodge

Crossley House in Winterbourne and Belvedere Lodge in Bristol both specialise in dementia care, including Alzheimer's. They may suit a short stay for someone living with dementia.

Arrange a Viewing Today

Is Respite Care Right for Us?

It can be hard to know, and our care services include other options too. If you recognise any of these, it may be time to ask about a short stay:

You feel exhausted, or have not had a day off in weeks
Your own health is slipping
The person you care for is lonely during the day
You are worried about what happens if you become unwell
You want to start exploring care homes without committing to one

If you are unsure, just call us. We will talk it through with no pressure.

Assessments and Local Support

You may be entitled to receive council funding for a carer break. Your local authority may be able to carry out a carer's assessment, and a needs assessment for the person you look after. These look at what help is essential for you both, and the local authority will explain its eligibility criteria. You can apply for a needs assessment on GOV.UK. You do not need an assessment to talk to us first.

Quality You Can Check

All care homes in England are inspected and rated by the Care Quality Commission. You can read inspection reports on the CQC website. We encourage families to read them and to ask us anything they raise.

What Does a Respite Stay Look Like Day to Day?

A respite stay care home experience should feel like a break, not a clinic. They have a furnished room with their own things. They can join in with a range of activities or relax quietly. Small touches can enhance daily life, from a favourite chair to a chat over tea.

Care Tailored to the Person

We provide tailored care for each stay. If they like toast and tea at eight and a quiet read afterwards, we will do exactly that. If they have medication, mobility or dietary needs, we plan around them. We provide the support they require, and we do not ask you to explain it twice.

Good Food

Meals are fresh and enjoyable, and dietary needs are catered for. Meals for our residents come from our sister company, AbleCare Kitchens, which prepares chilled, never frozen, food to IDDSI standards. This matters for anyone who needs softer or modified textures.

Company and Activities

Some people love company. Others prefer peace. We offer both, and never push. Staff get to know each guest quickly, so conversations feel natural. Guests are welcome to join in with the activities our residents enjoy, from music and games to a quiet chat in the lounge.

A Day Care Visit

If an overnight stay is not what you need, a day visit can still give you a break. A day at AbleCare Homes can include a relaxing bath, a visit from the chiropodist and hair stylist, a three course lunch, afternoon entertainment, and tea with the chef's home-made cakes. You can find out more on our day care and lunch clubs page.

Keeping Families Involved

Families are part of the care relationship, not visitors to it. You are welcome to call, visit and share advice. You know them best, and we listen.

Contact our team

We're here to help.

A short stay with AbleCare Homes lets those in need, and carers, rest, knowing they are in kind hands.

To ask about respite care Bristol wide, contact our team. Our head office is at Unit 19, Apex Court, Woodlands, Almondsbury, Bristol BS32 4JT. You can also explore all of our care services to see what else may help your family.