If you are caring for an aging parent or spouse in Delaware, the state helps pay for respite care so you can rest, and the paid attendant can sometimes be a family member.

Respite is not walking away from someone you love. It is the planned break that lets you keep going. Federal health data show why that break matters: nearly 1 in 5 family caregivers reports being in fair or poor health, and elderly caregivers coping with their own chronic illness face a 63% higher mortality rate than non-caregiving peers.

In This Guide

Funded Respite Care Options in Delaware

Asking for help can feel like admitting you are failing your loved one. You are not. In Delaware, several funded paths can give you regular breaks, and most families qualify for at least one.

1. Medicaid Personal Attendant Services: Hire Your Own Attendant

If the person you care for is on Delaware Medicaid, you may not need to bring in a stranger at all. Delaware's Personal Attendant Services, administered by the Division of Services for Aging and Adults with Physical Disabilities (DSAAPD), let a Medicaid participant hire, train, and supervise their own personal care attendant for in-home support, including respite. Participants may hire family members and friends as their attendants.

Whether a spouse specifically can be the paid attendant, and which other relatives qualify, is not spelled out in the state's published guidance. Confirm it with the Delaware ADRC at 1-800-223-9074 before you count on a particular arrangement.

2. Diamond State Health Plan Plus (DSHP+): Respite Through Managed Long-Term Care

When your loved one needs more support than a few respite hours here and there, Delaware's Medicaid long-term care runs through Diamond State Health Plan Plus (DSHP+), the state's mandatory managed-care program for older adults and people with physical disabilities. DSHP+ covers home and community-based services meant to keep people out of nursing homes, and respite care is one of them, alongside adult day care, personal care, home-delivered meals, and personal emergency response systems. It is administered jointly by the Division of Medicaid and Medical Assistance (DMMA) and DSAAPD, and a member generally must meet a nursing-facility level of care to qualify.

Respite is authorized through the member's care plan, not granted automatically. Enrolled members work with a managed care organization care coordinator who builds a person-centered plan, so ask the coordinator directly to write respite hours into it. If your loved one is not enrolled yet, call the Delaware ADRC at 1-800-223-9074 to start a screening.

3. NFCSP Respite Grants Through Your Area Agency on Aging

Not everyone you help has Medicaid, and you do not need it to get a break. The National Family Caregiver Support Program (NFCSP), funded by Title III-E of the Older Americans Act, flows through DSAAPD to Delaware's regional Area Agencies on Aging. They provide in-home respite, caregiver counseling, training, and supplemental services. Respite amounts and any per-caregiver caps are set at the state and local agency level, not federally, so the exact hours vary by region.

You qualify if you are an adult caring for someone 60 or older, a caregiver of any age caring for someone with Alzheimer's disease or a related dementia, or an older relative 55 and up caring for a child under 18 or an adult 18 to 59 with a disability. To start, call the Delaware ADRC at 1-800-223-9074 or the Eldercare Locator at 1-800-677-1116.,

4. Adult Day Programs and Short-Term Facility Respite

If you work during the day or simply need predictable hours back, an adult day program can be the answer. Delaware Medicaid covers adult day care as one of the home and community-based services under DSHP+, and an NFCSP grant through your Area Agency on Aging can help pay for adult day even when your loved one is not on Medicaid.,

Short-term facility respite places your loved one in an assisted living community or nursing facility for a few days to a few weeks, so you can travel, recover from your own surgery, or rest. Delaware families usually pay privately for these short stays unless a DSHP+ respite authorization, an NFCSP voucher, or VA respite covers the cost. To find a participating program, use the National Respite Locator run by the ARCH National Respite Network, supported by the federal Lifespan Respite Care Program, or call the Eldercare Locator at 1-800-677-1116.

5. VA Respite for Veteran Families

If the person you care for served in the military, the VA runs a parallel respite track for veteran families across the First State. Veterans enrolled in VA health care may be able to arrange respite through their VA medical center, delivered as in-home respite, adult day health care, or a short stay in a VA Community Living Center or community nursing home. Nursing-home respite is capped at 30 days per calendar year.

The clearest respite benefit sits inside the Program of Comprehensive Assistance for Family Caregivers (PCAFC): an approved Primary Family Caregiver receives at least 30 days of respite care per year, plus a monthly stipend and other supports. PCAFC serves veterans with a VA disability rating of 70% or higher who need at least six months of in-person personal care and are enrolled in VA health care, and a spouse can serve as the caregiver. Call the VA Caregiver Support Line at 1-855-260-3274.,

How Much Respite Will Each Program Cover?

There is no single respite allowance in Delaware, because each program sets its own amount. This table shows who each option covers, whether a family member can be the paid worker, and who pays.

Program Who it covers Can a family member be the paid worker? Who pays
Personal Attendant Services Delaware Medicaid participants needing in-home care Yes, you hire and supervise your own attendant; confirm spouse rules with the ADRC Delaware Medicaid
Diamond State Health Plan Plus (DSHP+) Medicaid members at a nursing-facility level of care Through the plan's personal-care options; ask the care coordinator Delaware Medicaid
NFCSP respite grants Any family caregiver (age rules apply), no Medicaid needed Not typically; funds pay for respite services and vouchers Little or no cost
Adult day / short-term facility respite Older adults needing daytime supervision or a longer break No; facility or program staff provide the care DSHP+, NFCSP voucher, long-term care insurance, or private pay
VA respite (PCAFC) Approved caregivers of eligible veterans Yes; a spouse can be the Primary Family Caregiver The VA

A few specifics worth knowing before you plan:

How to Start Respite Care in Delaware

You do not have to understand every program before you act. One phone call opens most of these doors, and a counselor on the other end will help you sort the rest.

1
Step 1

Call the Delaware ADRC at 1-800-223-9074

This reaches your regional Area Agency on Aging, the front door to NFCSP respite grants, adult day referrals, and caregiver support, and it starts the Medicaid conversation too.

2
Step 2

Ask about Personal Attendant Services and DSHP+

If your loved one is on Delaware Medicaid or could qualify, request a screening, then ask to self-direct respite by hiring your own attendant or to add respite hours to a DSHP+ care plan.

3
Step 3

Open the VA track if your loved one is a veteran

Call the VA Caregiver Support Line at 1-855-260-3274 to ask about PCAFC respite and to reach a Caregiver Support Coordinator.

4
Step 4

Use 211 or the Eldercare Locator for anything local

Dial 211 or call the Eldercare Locator at 1-800-677-1116 for adult day directories and nearby respite while any application is pending.

Where to Get Respite Help in Delaware

Delaware Aging and Disability Resource Center (ADRC) Helps with: NFCSP respite grants, Medicaid and DSHP+ information, adult day referrals, and caregiver support through the Area Agencies on Aging. 1-800-223-9074 www.dhss.delaware.gov/dhss/dsaapd
211 Delaware Helps with: round-the-clock referrals to local social services, benefits, and emergency respite. 211 delaware211.org
Eldercare Locator Helps with: connecting you to your local Area Agency on Aging and respite services anywhere in the country. 1-800-677-1116 eldercare.acl.gov/home
VA Caregiver Support Line Helps with: PCAFC respite and a Caregiver Support Coordinator for veteran families. 1-855-260-3274 www.caregiver.va.gov

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Delaware Medicaid cover respite care?

Yes. Delaware's Personal Attendant Services let Medicaid participants hire their own attendant, including family members, for in-home care and respite, and Diamond State Health Plan Plus (DSHP+) covers respite as a home and community-based service for members at a nursing-facility level of care. Call the Delaware ADRC at 1-800-223-9074 to ask about eligibility.

Can a spouse be paid to provide respite in Delaware?

Delaware's Personal Attendant Services let participants hire family members and friends as their paid attendant. Whether a spouse specifically can be hired, and any restrictions that apply, is not spelled out in state guidance, so confirm it with the Delaware ADRC at 1-800-223-9074.

Is there respite in Delaware without Medicaid?

Yes. The National Family Caregiver Support Program provides respite through Delaware's Area Agencies on Aging to family caregivers regardless of Medicaid enrollment, with the local agency setting the amount. Call the Delaware ADRC at 1-800-223-9074 or the Eldercare Locator at 1-800-677-1116.,

Does Medicare cover respite care?

Only within hospice. Medicare pays for short-term inpatient respite care as one of the four levels of the hospice benefit, with a 5% coinsurance, and does not otherwise cover respite.

What if NFCSP respite funds run out for the year?

Because NFCSP respite runs on a fixed annual grant, your Area Agency on Aging may cap hours or pause new respite when funds are low. Ask about a waitlist and about adult day vouchers, and if your loved one is Medicaid-eligible, ask the ADRC about respite through Personal Attendant Services or DSHP+.,

Learn More

CaregiverRespite Care for Family Caregivers: The 50-State GuideWhat respite care is and how to pay for it in 2026: the main types, free NFCSP grants, Medicaid and VA respite, and a link to every state guide. CaregiverHow to Get Paid as a Family Caregiver in DelawareDelaware's Personal Attendant Services lets family members serve as paid caregivers. Spouse eligibility varies by program; confirm with the Delaware ADRC. CaregiverCaregiver Burnout: Signs, Stages, and How to Get SupportHow to recognize caregiver burnout, why it happens, and what actually helps, from respite care to evidence-based programs like REACH II and Powerful Tools. VA BenefitsVA Aid and Attendance in DelawareVA Aid and Attendance in Delaware for 2026: who qualifies, monthly rates up to $2,874, how to apply, and where to get free help filing in Delaware. MedicaidMedicaid Planning StrategiesSee which assets you keep, how the 5-year look-back works, and the legal moves that qualify you for Medicaid long-term care without losing the house.
Your next step Find personalized help matching your family to Delaware respite programs at brevy.com.

The information on Brevy.com is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional legal, financial, or medical advice. Rules vary by state and program and change frequently. Always verify with the relevant agency or a qualified professional. Brevy is not a law firm, financial advisor, or healthcare provider.

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