Key Takeaways
- Ongoing care is long-term support. Respite care is short-term or occasional support.
- Caregivers perform the same duties in both.
- The schedule, the service agreement and the upfront payment differ.
- You can switch from respite to ongoing care if your needs change.
Ongoing care is long-term, recurring help for a senior who needs regular support. Respite care is short-term or occasional help that gives a family caregiver a break. The caregivers do the same work in both. What changes is the schedule, the commitment and the service agreement.
If you’re not sure which one fits, you’re in good company. Plenty of families begin with one and move to the other.
What is ongoing care?
Ongoing care is in-home support for a senior who needs help for a long or indeterminate amount of time, even if it’s only a few days a week. Families often choose it when a loved one can no longer manage activities of daily living because of aging or a condition such as dementia or arthritis. It can also help when your parent is recovering from a medical procedure with a long or complicated recovery.
A caregiver helps with daily living activities, and also offers companionship, meal preparation, errands, light housekeeping, medication reminders and personal care.
What is respite care?
Respite care is in-home support for a short period or a few hours a week, so family caregivers can rest and recharge. Families use it when they travel, when a loved one has a short-term injury or medical issue or when they need a break from the stress of caregiving.
Your loved one gets the same quality of care. Only the length and frequency of service change.
How do ongoing care and respite care compare?
The two services share the same caregivers and daily tasks. Here’s how they differ:
| Feature | Ongoing care | Respite care |
| Length of need | Long-term or indeterminate | Short-term or occasional |
| Typical use | Help with daily living because of aging, a condition or a long recovery | A break for family caregivers, travel or a short-term injury |
| Schedule options | Daytime visits one to seven days a week, overnight, live-in or 24/7 awake live-in | The same options, for a few weeks or a few hours per week |
| Caregiver duties | Companionship, meals, errands, housekeeping, medication reminders, personal care | The same |
| Commitment | No long-term commitment required | No long-term commitment required |
| Upfront payment | A deposit to start service, discussed during your discovery call | No deposit, but you prepay the hours you request |
| Rates | Vary by type of care and sometimes location | The same rates as ongoing care |
How do you decide which one you need?
Start with how long you expect to need help. If the need is recurring or has no end date, ongoing care usually fits. If you need a few weeks of coverage or a regular breather, respite care is the better match.
A few questions can help:
- Is your parent’s need likely to continue, or is it tied to an event?
- Are you looking for relief for yourself, or daily support for your parent?
- Do you expect the schedule to stay steady, or change over time?
If you’re still unsure, a care expert can talk it through with you. That’s exactly what a discovery call is for.
Can you switch from respite care to ongoing care?
Yes. If respite care becomes an ongoing need, we’ll adjust your plan to fit. Your care manager stays in frequent contact and helps solve problems as your situation changes. Since we don’t require long-term commitments, you can add hours or change your schedule as your family’s needs evolve.
Where does Sequoia Senior Solutions provide care?
Sequoia Senior Solutions provides ongoing and respite care across Sonoma, Marin, Napa, Lake, Mendocino and Solano counties. In Lake County, call 707-262-1477. In Mendocino County, call 707-462-3227. You can see every town we serve on our locations and service areas page.
How do you get started?
The process is the same for ongoing and respite care. Book a no-obligation discovery call and we’ll help you choose the plan that fits. You can also explore our ongoing care and respite care pages.