Respite Care in Virginia: A 2026 Guide for Family Caregivers

Virginia has more funded respite care options than most families realize. Medicaid waiver hours through the CCC Plus waiver, free National Family Caregiver Support Program grants through 25 Area Agencies on Aging, and a dedicated dementia-caregiver program all exist. The money is there; most families just don't know where to ask.

If you're providing daily care for a parent, spouse, or adult child in Virginia, you already know how unsustainable that is without breaks. Respite is not a luxury. It is the infrastructure that makes sustained caregiving possible, and this guide maps every funded respite care option in Virginia for 2026.

Why Respite Care Isn't Optional

Caring for someone around the clock takes a measurable toll on the caregiver's own body, not just your mood. Federal data show family caregivers fare worse than non-caregivers on most health measures: nearly 1 in 5 reports fair or poor health, and nearly 2 in 5 live with at least two chronic conditions of their own, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). During 2021 and 2022, 20.5% of caregivers reported frequent mental distress, compared with 13.6% of non-caregivers, and lifetime depression among caregivers reached 25.6%. Elderly caregivers who already have a chronic illness and feel caregiving strain carry a 63% higher mortality rate than their non-caregiving peers. Caregivers of people with Alzheimer's disease or a related dementia are the most likely of all to have health problems and to be depressed.5

The encouraging part is that support works. Structured, evidence-based caregiver-support programs, such as REACH (Resources for Enhancing Alzheimer's Caregiver Health), have been shown in federal and peer-reviewed research to significantly lower caregiver depression and burden.6 The National Institute on Aging (NIA) is direct about it: taking care of yourself is one of the most important things you can do as a caregiver, and respite care, short-term relief that can last anywhere from a few hours to several weeks, is how you do it.7

If you need emergency respite today, call 1-800-552-3402 or dial 211. If you're planning ahead, read on.1

Funded Respite Care Options in Virginia

Virginia stacks several funded respite doors on top of the federal floor. The table below is the quick map; each option is worked in detail beneath it.

1. CCC Plus Waiver Respite (Cardinal Care)

What it is: The Commonwealth Coordinated Care Plus (CCC Plus) waiver, now managed through Virginia's Cardinal Care managed Medicaid program, includes in-home and short-term facility respite as covered services for enrolled members. Respite can be authorized as part of the member's care plan.1

Consumer-directed respite: Under the consumer-directed services option, the member hires their own worker, who may be an adult child, sibling, grandchild, niece, nephew, or other eligible relative. A spouse, or a parent or legal guardian of a minor, may be paid only under Virginia's legally responsible individual (LRI) policy, which requires extraordinary care and caps reimbursement at 40 hours per week; confirm the current rules with the care coordinator. See the Virginia paid family caregiver guide for the full worker-eligibility rules.2

Eligibility: Medicaid-eligible Virginia residents enrolled in CCC Plus with an approved care plan that includes respite.

How to access: Talk to the member's Cardinal Care plan care coordinator and ask for respite hours to be added to the authorized care plan. If your loved one is not yet enrolled in CCC Plus, contact the Virginia Department of Medical Assistance Services (DMAS) or your local social services department to begin an eligibility determination.

Best for: Families already in the CCC Plus system who want planned in-home breaks.

2. NFCSP Grants Through Virginia's 25 Area Agencies on Aging

What it is: The National Family Caregiver Support Program (NFCSP), authorized under Title III-E of the Older Americans Act, flows through Virginia's Department for Aging and Rehabilitative Services (DARS) to 25 regional Area Agencies on Aging. The program funds five categories of caregiver support, and respite care is one of them; each Area Agency delivers some mix of in-home respite, adult day vouchers, caregiver training, counseling, and supplemental services.1

Who qualifies: Adult family members caring for someone age 60 or older; caregivers of any age caring for someone with Alzheimer's disease or a related dementia; and older relatives age 55 and up caring for children under 18 or for adults ages 18 to 59 with disabilities. There is no income test for NFCSP respite services in Virginia.1

How to access: Call 1-800-552-3402 (Virginia's statewide caregiver connection through DARS) or use the federal Eldercare Locator at 1-800-677-1116.1

Best for: Any Virginia family caregiver, regardless of income. NFCSP is among the most underused respite resources in the state.

3. Virginia Caregiver Services Program (Dementia Focus)

What it is: Virginia funds a dedicated Caregiver Services Program through DARS that provides in-home respite specifically for caregivers of people with Alzheimer's disease and related dementias. It is a Medicaid-funded program administered through the Virginia Alzheimer's Disease and Related Disorders Commission via DARS.1

How to access: Call DARS or your local Area Agency on Aging through 1-800-552-3402, and ask specifically about the Virginia Caregiver Services Program if your loved one has a dementia diagnosis.1

Best for: Family caregivers of people with Alzheimer's disease or a related dementia.

4. Adult Day Health Programs

What they are: Adult day health centers provide structured daytime programming in a community setting, typically several hours per weekday, with meals, activities, social engagement, and nursing oversight appropriate to the program's license. For caregivers of people with dementia, consistent adult day attendance often reduces behavioral symptoms, improves sleep, and hands back reliable weekday hours to the caregiver.

What it costs: Nationally, the median cost of adult day health care is about $95 per day, roughly $24,700 a year at five days a week, per the CareScout (formerly Genworth) 2025 Cost of Care Survey. Virginia rates vary by program and region, so confirm the daily rate directly with each center, and remember that public funding can offset it.8

Who pays:

• NFCSP grants through your Area Agency on Aging can offset adult day costs.1
• CCC Plus covers adult day health for eligible enrolled members.1
• Long-term care insurance often covers adult day under the home and community-based services rider.
• Private pay rates vary by program and region; confirm pricing directly with the center.

Finding programs: The Virginia Department of Social Services (VDSS) licenses adult day centers statewide, and your regional Area Agency on Aging keeps a local directory; call 1-800-552-3402 for referrals.1

Best for: Caregivers who need consistent weekday respite and care recipients who benefit from socialization and structured programming.

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, and short-term placement in VA Community Living Centers or contracted facilities.

PCAFC: Primary Family Caregivers in the Program of Comprehensive Assistance for Family Caregivers (PCAFC) receive at least 30 days of respite care per year as part of the benefit package; confirm the authorized days and any co-pay with your VA Caregiver Support Coordinator.9

How to access: Call the VA Caregiver Support Line at 1-855-260-3274, staffed Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Eastern time, or contact the Caregiver Support Coordinator at your local VA medical center. Major Virginia VA facilities include the Richmond, Hampton, and Salem VA Medical Centers, plus the Washington DC VA Medical Center serving Northern Virginia.3

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

6. Short-Term Facility Respite and Emergency Respite

Short-term facility respite places the care recipient in an assisted living community, memory care unit, or nursing facility for a few days to several weeks. Many Virginia assisted living facilities offer short-stay respite; call facilities in your area for availability and current nightly rates.

Emergency respite for a sudden caregiver crisis is available through Virginia's Area Agencies on Aging using NFCSP funds. Call 1-800-552-3402 or 211 as a first step.1

Who pays: Typically private pay, unless NFCSP funds apply, the CCC Plus plan covers facility respite in the care plan, or a long-term care insurance policy applies.

How to Access Respite Care in Virginia

Learn More

Find personalized help navigating respite care options in Virginia 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.