Respite Care and Recovery Stays in Tucson

Respite care is a short stay in an assisted living community or a small adult care home. Families use it while a loved one recovers from surgery, such as a hip or knee replacement, or to give a family caregiver a break. We can usually arrange a stay within a few days, stays last from two weeks to a month, and our help is free to families across the Tucson metro.

Who Is a Short Stay For?

Most families who call us about a short stay are in one of two situations.

The first is recovery. Your loved one is having surgery, often a joint replacement, or is leaving the hospital or a rehab facility and is not ready to manage alone. A few weeks with help on hand for bathing, dressing, meals, and medications gives them time to get stronger before they go home.

The second is a break for a family caregiver. If you look after a loved one at home, there will be times you cannot, such as a trip you have to take or your own surgery. A short stay means your loved one has care and company while you are away.

Is It Safe for Your Loved One to Go Straight Home?

Ask the hospital’s discharge planner what your loved one will need help with in the first few weeks, then be honest about who will provide it. A short stay makes sense if:

• they live alone, or with a spouse who cannot help them up or steady them
• they will need help bathing, dressing, or getting to the bathroom, including at night
• the home has stairs, a tub they cannot step into, or rooms they cannot reach with a walker
• their medications are changing and someone needs to keep track of them

If you are not sure, call us and we will talk it through.

How Does Our Help Work?

We start with a phone call about your loved one, the dates, the care they will need, and your budget. Then we find assisted living communities and care homes with a short-stay opening that fits. We work with both, and a small care home can suit someone who wants a quieter place to recover. As with every placement, we only recommend state-licensed homes and communities in good standing.

If the surgery is planned, call us before the date so the stay is ready when your loved one leaves the hospital. If it is not planned, we can usually arrange a stay within a few days.

How Long Do Stays Last?

Short stays usually have a two-week minimum and last up to a month. If your loved one needs longer, or decides they would like to stay, we can help with that too.

What Does It Cost?

Our help is free to your family, just as it is for a permanent move. We are paid by the homes and communities we partner with, and that never changes who we recommend.

Your family usually pays for the stay itself. Medicare does not pay for assisted living, including short stays. It does cover a limited rehab stay in a skilled nursing facility, but under Original Medicare only after at least three days in a row as a hospital inpatient. Many joint replacements now involve a shorter hospital stay, so ask the hospital early whether your loved one will qualify. If they have long-term care insurance, check whether the policy covers respite stays. Our senior resources page explains what Medicare and other programs pay for.

What Families Say

“Amanda did an awesome job helping me find a home where my husband could stay while I had surgery and the follow up therapy. She was contacted at the last minute and her results were great!”

Gramma Weaver, Google review

“As we urgently needed to navigate between a rehab facility’s upcoming discharge date and any possible next step for our elderly loved-one, the team at A Senior Journey was available to explain their role, available options, and answer all our questions.”

Maaike Schotborgh, Google review

Where Do You Help?

We serve families across the Tucson metro area, including Tucson, Oro Valley, Marana, Sahuarita, Green Valley, Vail, and Catalina.