Need a break? Respite care at home for your loved one
Short-term cover in the family home, from a single day to several weeks. Garda-vetted, experienced and insured carers, usually in place within days.
Care usually starts within days, with no HSE assessment queue
Garda-vetted carers, employed and insured by us
One primary carer, with a familiar backup
4.8/5 on Google and 5/5 on Bark
What happens next
We call you back
Someone from our care team rings you to talk through what’s needed and answer your questions.
A short conversation
Which days and hours would help, what has got harder at home, and anything we should know about your loved one.
We match a carer
Garda-vetted, employed and insured by us. Care usually starts within days, sometimes sooner.
What is respite care?
Respite care is short-term care that gives a family carer a break. A trained carer comes to the home and looks after your loved one, who gets consistent support without leaving familiar surroundings.
The aim is the well-being of the whole family: the person being cared for and the person who usually cares for them. Our carers are trained healthcare assistants, not nurses, and they help with everyday life rather than clinical care.
How respite care works
Tell us when you need cover and what your loved one needs. We match a Garda-vetted, experienced and insured carer, and cover is usually in place within a few days. It can be daytime hours, overnight from evening until morning, or a live-in carer for those who need more support.
We employ the carer and handle their pay, tax and training, so you are not the employer. There are no long-term contracts, so you book only the cover you need.
Each care plan is tailored to your loved one. We are a private, independent provider, not part of the HSE, and we work alongside your GP, public health nurse and any HSE support already in place.
Two ways to arrange respite care
Planned respite
Cover booked in advance so a family carer can take a holiday, get some rest or see to other commitments, for a day, a week or longer.
Short-notice respite
Cover at shorter notice when things change, such as illness, an emergency or a gap in your usual care. It depends on carer availability.
What does our respite care cover?
Short-term cover that gives family carers a proper break, with your loved one in safe hands.
Personal care & dressing
Companionship
Meals & daily routine
Mobility & getting out
Medication prompts
Day, night or live-in cover
What our carers do, and the three things they don’t
Day to day, our carers help with
Washing, dressing and personal care
Meals and drinks
Medication prompts and reminders
Getting about the home safely
Company and a settled daily routine
Getting to appointments
Light housework and laundry
A break for family carers
Our carers don’t give injections, dress wounds or administer insulin.
Those three stay with the GP or public health nurse.
For everything else, talk it through with your care manager.
They’ll tell you plainly what a carer can take on.
Your exact quote, worked out on one call
Respite is priced on how long you need cover and the type of care, so we work out the exact figure with you. Call 0818 700 100 or send the form and a care manager will take you through it, including any home-carer tax relief you qualify for at your marginal rate.
Why families choose United Irish Healthcare
We employ, vet and insure every carer, and we arrange cover ourselves when your carer takes leave. Care usually starts within days, sometimes sooner, and your loved one has one primary carer with a familiar backup.
Heading 2
I'm a paragraph. Click here to add your own text and edit me. It's easy.
What families say
United Irish Healthcare have been beyond any of my expectations. UIH had us sorted in a matter of hours. I cannot thank Daniel, Olivia and Jean enough — highly recommend.
Doireann Kate Gough
We use UIH for night care for our Mam. The staff have been fantastic — it is very personal and she is comfortable with her carers.
Orla Daly
For the last 8 months Mum has had two very kind carers fulfilling her wish to stay in her own home. The peace of mind is well worth it.
Verified Google review
Frequently Asked Questions
How long can respite cover last?
+
From a single day up to several weeks — whatever gives the family carer a proper break. Longer arrangements are straightforward to set up.
How much notice do you need?
+
The more notice you can give, the easier it is to match the right carer — but we do our best with short-notice requests too, subject to availability.
Can respite be daytime, overnight or live-in?
+
Yes — respite can be daytime visits, overnight cover, or a live-in carer for the period, depending on what your loved one needs.
Is there a setup or placement fee?
+
Yes. A one-time placement fee covers the work of assigning your carer and setting up the placement. Your care manager includes it in your quote, and a replacement carer never costs extra.
