Idaho Senior Services Respite: Eligibility and Benefits

Eligibility Guidelines

• Care receivers must be Idaho residents 
• They must be a minimum of 60 years old and have a caregiver under the age of 60 or be under the age of 60 with a caregiver over the age of 60. 
• They must need help with a minimum of one activity of daily living or instrumental activity of daily living, such as mobility, toiletry, dressing, eating, preparing meals, grocery shopping, etc. 
• The care recipient must require 24-hour supervision and/or 24-hour care. 
• They cannot be concurrently receiving caregiving assistance from Medicaid.
• There are no financial limits with regards to their income or savings, but those factors might be considered when determining if a family will be required to pay for services on a sliding scale. (Not all areas of Idaho implement a sliding scale). For those that do, as a general rule of thumb, those persons whose income is less than 100% of the Federal Poverty Level  (FPL) should receive services free of change. In dollar terms, in 2022, this means single applicants with income less than $1,132.50 per month (or annually, $13,590) may receive services at no charge. The scale may gradually increase to those whose incomes exceed approximately 180% of the FPL, and those persons may be required to pay the full cost of caregiving. In dollars, this means persons with income greater than $1,932 per month (or annually, $23,184) might have to pay.

Prioritization of services is based on a combination of the severity of the applicant’s needs and their lack of existing support. The age and physical condition of the individual providing care may also be a prioritization factor.

Benefits and Services

Caregiver relief or respite is usually provided for short periods of time, typically around 4 hours several times a month. However, in this program, overnight respite is also available. Respite can be provided at home, in adult day care centers, or in residential care communities. Transportation to and from an adult day care center or residential care community is another benefit of this program. (Please note that some areas of Idaho only offer in-home respite care). While caregivers receive respite, care recipients also benefit through an increase in companionship and a diversity of caregivers. Personal care assistance may also be provided.

How to Apply / Learn More

The Respite Program is managed by the Idaho Commission on Aging. It is administered locally by the state’s 6 Area Agencies on Aging (AAA). AAA coverage areas and contact information is available here. Additional, but limited, program information can be found here.