Respite Care in North Carolina: A 2026 Guide for Family Caregivers

Funded respite care for North Carolina family caregivers runs mainly through two Medicaid waivers, CAP/DA and CAP/C. Outside Medicaid, the National Family Caregiver Support Program (NFCSP) funds respite and other caregiver services delivered by local Area Agencies on Aging. Call the Eldercare Locator at 1-800-677-1116 to be connected to services in your area.1,2,3

If you are the primary caregiver for an aging parent, a spouse with dementia, or an adult with a disability in North Carolina, you already know how relentless the work is. Respite, which is planned, paid-for time off, is not a sign you are failing. It is one of the practical ways caregivers protect their own health and keep going for the years a loved one may need them.

This guide is a practical map of every funded respite option in North Carolina in 2026.

Why Planned Respite Matters

A family caregiver who never takes a break is not a stronger caregiver. Federal health data shows caregiving takes a measurable toll: nearly 1 in 5 family caregivers reports being in fair or poor health, depressive symptoms are roughly twice as common among caregivers as in the general population, and older caregivers who are managing their own chronic illness while under caregiving-related stress have a 63% higher mortality rate than their non-caregiving peers. Planned respite is how caregivers guard against that toll and sustain the role over the long haul.5

If you need help finding respite quickly, call the Eldercare Locator at 1-800-677-1116 to be connected to services in your area. If you are planning ahead, the rest of this guide walks through your options by type and funding source.3

Funded Respite Care Options in North Carolina

1. CAP/DA and CAP/C Waiver Respite

What it is: The Community Alternatives Program for Disabled Adults (CAP/DA) and the Community Alternatives Program for Children (CAP/C) are NC Medicaid 1915(c) home and community-based services waivers. CAP/DA covers respite in two forms, institutional respite and in-home aide respite. CAP/C covers institutional and in-home respite as temporary relief to the primary unpaid caregiver, who is relieved of the child's care needs for a limited time.1

Who qualifies: CAP/DA is open to a disabled adult 18 or older who is determined to require a level of institutional care under the State Medicaid Plan and who needs at least one CAP/DA service, based on an assessment coordinated by a CAP/DA case manager. CAP/C is a children's waiver, not a route for an adult's caregiver: it serves medically fragile and medically complex children age 0 through 20 who require a level of institutional care. Both require the person cared for to be an approved Medicaid beneficiary, and both supplement rather than replace the support a family already provides.1

How to access: If your loved one is enrolled, talk to the CAP/DA or CAP/C case manager about respite. Contact NC Medicaid if your loved one is not yet enrolled.1

Best for: Families already in the CAP waiver system.

2. NFCSP Caregiver Support Through NC's Area Agencies on Aging

What it is: The National Family Caregiver Support Program (NFCSP), funded by Title III-E of the Older Americans Act, makes grants to states. Services are provided by an Area Agency on Aging (AAA) or an entity it contracts with, and they include information about services, help gaining access to them, counseling, support groups and caregiver training, respite care, and supplemental services on a limited basis. Respite can be given at home, in an adult day care setting, or in an institutional setting.2 The NC Division of Aging lists Family Caregiver Support and the NC Lifespan Respite Program among its programs.3

Who qualifies: Adult family members or other informal caregivers of someone 60 or older; adult family members or other informal caregivers of someone of any age with Alzheimer's disease or a related disorder; relatives age 55 or older (not parents) caring for a child under 18; and relatives age 55 or older, including parents, caring for an adult age 18 to 59 with a disability. An older relative caregiver must live with the child or adult, be their informal provider of in-home and community care, and be their primary caregiver. For a child, the relative must be the primary caregiver because the parents are unable or unwilling to serve, and must have a legal relationship to the child, such as legal custody, adoption or guardianship, or be raising the child informally. For a caregiver of an older adult, respite and supplemental services carry an extra condition: the person cared for must be unable to perform at least two activities of daily living without substantial help, or need substantial supervision because a cognitive or other mental impairment makes their behavior a serious health or safety hazard. Information, access help, counseling and training carry no such condition.2

What it covers: Your local AAA, or a provider it contracts with, delivers NFCSP services, so ask your local AAA exactly what is available in your county.2

How to access: Call the Eldercare Locator at 1-800-677-1116 to be connected to services in your area.3

Best for: A North Carolina family caregiver who meets the conditions above and is looking for help outside Medicaid.

3. Coordinated Caregiving

What it is: Coordinated Caregiving is a home and community-based service approved under both CAP/DA and CAP/C. NC Medicaid defines it as supportive services to a live-in caregiver that assist with the acquisition, retention or improvement of skills related to living in the community. It is delivered by an enrolled provider, and it is a different service from CAP consumer direction, where the beneficiary or a representative acts as the employer of record for a personal assistant. It is not labeled respite: CAP/DA lists respite as its own service alongside Coordinated Caregiving.1

The North Carolina paid family caregiver guide covers Coordinated Caregiving in more detail.

Best for: A live-in caregiver of someone enrolled in CAP/DA or CAP/C.

4. Adult Day Programs

What they are: Adult day services provide structured daytime programming in a community setting, typically 4 to 8 hours per day, with meals, activities, supervision, and varying levels of medical oversight. For caregivers of people with dementia in particular, consistent adult day attendance often reduces behavioral symptoms, improves sleep, and restores reliable daytime hours to the caregiver.

Finding programs in NC: Ask your local AAA, or call the Eldercare Locator at 1-800-677-1116 to be connected to services in your area.3

Who pays:

• NFCSP respite through your AAA can be provided in an adult day care setting.2
• CAP/DA covers adult day health for waiver members.1
• Long-term care insurance may cover adult day under the policy's home and community-based services rider.
• Private pay is the default for families not accessing other programs; confirm current rates directly with the center.

Best for: Caregivers who need weekday respite and care recipients who would benefit from social engagement and structured activity.

5. VA Respite for Veterans

What it is: Veterans enrolled in VA health care can access respite through their local VA medical center, including in-home aide services, adult day health at VA facilities, and short-term placement in VA Community Living Centers or contracted facilities.

PCAFC: The Primary Family Caregiver in the Program of Comprehensive Assistance for Family Caregivers (PCAFC) receives respite care as part of the benefit package; confirm the authorized days and any co-pay with your VA Caregiver Support Coordinator.

How to access: Call the VA Caregiver Support Line at 1-855-260-3274, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. ET. It provides information on support services and can connect you directly to your local VA Caregiver Support Program team. It is not a crisis line: anyone in crisis or having thoughts of suicide should call 988 and press 1, or text 838255, at any hour.4

Best for: Families of veterans enrolled in VA health care, especially those in PCAFC.

6. Short-Term Facility Respite and Emergency Respite

Short-term facility respite (also called planned respite or short-stay) places the care recipient in an assisted living community or nursing facility for a few days to several weeks. Many North Carolina assisted living facilities offer short-stay arrangements at a nightly rate; contact facilities in your area for current availability and pricing.

Emergency respite: if a sudden crisis leaves you unable to provide care, ask your local AAA what short-notice help it can arrange. The Eldercare Locator at 1-800-677-1116 can connect you.3

Who pays: Short-term facility respite is typically private pay unless NFCSP respite applies, a CAP waiver covers institutional respite, or a long-term care insurance policy covers it.

How to Start Respite Care in North Carolina

Where to Get Respite Help in North Carolina

Learn More

Find personalized help navigating respite care options in North Carolina 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.