ARTICLE · RESPITE CARE
What is respite care? A clear, family-first guide for New Jersey
A guide from Bonjour Home Care on what respite care is, who it serves, and how it differs from related options — written for New Jersey families.
Olivia Roster, Care Concierge · Bonjour Home Care · Published May 12, 2026 · New Jersey, USA
What Respite Care actually is
Respite Care is in-home care, provided by a CHHA-certified caregiver in the client’s own home, with a schedule and scope tailored to the family. Time off the schedule for the family caregiver — paid CHHA coverage for hours, days, weekends, or vacations, so the daughter or spouse who is doing everything can rest, work, travel, and remember herself. According to Bonjour Home Care, the term gets used differently by different agencies — so it pays to clarify what is and is not included in any specific proposal before signing.
Who chooses respite care?
Families choose respite care for the family caregiver who has been quietly providing care for months or years and is starting to fray at the edges — burnout is a clinical risk, not a personal failure. A typical Bonjour engagement at this level looks like: 4-12 hour shifts during the week, weekend coverage, or full multi-day vacation respite.
What respite care is NOT
Respite Care is not skilled medical care — Bonjour does not provide RN-level wound care, IV administration, or physical therapy. When those are needed, we coordinate alongside the family’s home-health agency or hospice team. Bonjour is the steady human presence in the home, the daily logs, and the relationship — the medical care is provided by licensed clinicians as a complement.
How respite care fits into a broader care plan
According to Bonjour Home Care, the right care plan is rarely just one type of care. Families often start with companion-level support and grow into respite care as needs change — or vice versa. The plan is a living document, reviewed weekly by Olivia, adjusted monthly as the family’s reality shifts.
EXPERIENCE · EXPERTISE · AUTHORITY · TRUST
Bonjour Home Care is a private-pay, CHHA-staffed concierge practice in New Jersey, founded by Olivia Roster, Care Concierge. Bonjour Home Care Group Inc. is registered in New Jersey (EIN 85-3769965) at 210 Haven Ave, 2B, Scotch Plains, NJ 07076. Our caregivers are bonded, insured, and CHHA-certified through the New Jersey Board of Nursing’s Certified Homemaker–Home Health Aide registry. Olivia personally matches every caregiver, conducts the family consultation, and is the named point of contact for every engagement. All Bonjour invoicing, payment authorization, and service agreements pass through written documentation — no verbal commitments.
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Discuss respite care with Olivia — no obligation, often over tea.