Respite service use among caregivers of older people: comparative analysis of family dementia caregivers with musculoskeletal and circulatory system disorder caregivers.

OBJECTIVES: To identify the main drivers of the use of respite services and the need for respite services among caregivers of people experiencing dementia relative to family caregivers of people with other health conditions.

METHOD: Based on nationally representative secondary data regression analysis was used to test the association between selected health conditions and the utilisation of and need for respite services.

RESULTS: For a person living with dementia the odds of using respite care are higher than for a person with either a musculoskeletal or circulatory condition. Family caregivers of people living with dementia report the odds of the need for more respite as 5.3 times higher than for family caregivers of people with musculoskeletal conditions and 7.7 times higher than for family caregivers of people with circulatory conditions. The main reason for never using respite services is largely driven by the type of health condition, age of care recipient, existence of a spouse, and level of disability.

CONCLUSIONS: Respite services that cater to the specific needs of families experiencing dementia at home should become a higher priority within the aged care sector. Alternative models of respite care that focus on prevention and early intervention would be cost effective.