Redefining respite for family caregivers: lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic

These qualitative, descriptive insights provide a blueprint for a reimagined definition of caregiver respite, where respite is conceptualized as an outcome or benefit that caregivers seek and can create on their own, rather than only defining respite as a formal service provided to caregivers by outside organizations. In the face of significant workforce shortages that threaten the widespread availability and access to formal respite services, a re-imagined model of respite has the potential to better meet the respite needs and wishes of family caregivers, and maximize the benefit of short-breaks when formal respite services may not be available.