Respite Care in Southwest Florida
When loved ones providing support need a break. Respite caregivers make that possible.
Caring for a loved one is meaningful work, but it's still work — and no one can do it around the clock without a break. Whether you're the one carrying the load or you're worried about someone who is, Abby Services has helped families across Lee, Collier, and Charlotte Counties since 1997 find screened, credentialed caregivers who step in so the person doing the caring can step away — for an afternoon, a weekend, or a vacation. Abby Services is a state licensed nurse registry that has helped Southwest Florida families find experienced, screened respite caregivers since 1997.
Reviewed by Scott Strachan, RN BSN
Helping Southwest Florida families find the right caregiver since 1997.
Taking a break isn't giving up
Family caregivers put off doctor's appointments, skip vacations, and lose sleep — and caregiver burnout is one of the most common reasons a loved one ends up in a facility earlier than anyone wanted. Rest isn't a luxury. It's what makes long-term caregiving sustainable. And if you're watching a parent or spouse wear themselves down caring for someone else, arranging respite may be the most loving gift you can give them.
Respite care means a screened, credentialed caregiver steps in while you recharge — for a few hours a week, a weekend away, or an extended trip. You explain the routines that work, and your caregiver follows your lead, so you can actually relax knowing things are handled the way you'd handle them.
How Respite Caregivers Help
A respite caregiver picks up where you leave off — the same daily support you provide, from someone qualified to provide it.
Signs It May Be Time for Respite Support
Caregivers are usually the last to admit they need relief. It may be time for respite if you — or a caregiver you love — are:
- Exhausted even after sleeping, or not sleeping at all
- Skipping your own doctor's appointments and self-care
- Feeling irritable, resentful, or guilty about feeling that way
- Canceling plans so often that friends have stopped asking
- Getting sick more often, or ignoring your own symptoms
- Unable to remember your last real day off
If any of this sounds familiar, our team is happy to help you find the best path forward — for your loved one, and for you.
How it works
Getting started is simple, and there's never any pressure.
Call us
Tell us about your loved one and what's going on. The consultation is free.
Build a care plan
Our RN is available to help you identify the type of support your loved one needs — you decide what to request.
Meet your caregiver
We refer screened, credentialed caregivers who align with your requests. You choose the fit.
Stay in control
Adjust hours and direction anytime as needs change. You're always in charge.
Paying for In-Home Care
Worried about what care costs? You're not alone. Here are the most common ways families cover in-home care:
Private pay
The most common option — pay only for the hours you actually need, and scale up or down anytime.
Long-term care insurance
Many policies cover in-home care. We help you make sense of the paperwork. Learn about LTC insurance →
Hospice benefit
Your caregiver can supplement hospice services, helping you and your family get the support you need.
Veterans' benefits
Veterans and surviving spouses may qualify for aid that helps offset the cost of in-home care.
Respite Care Questions, Answered
As long as you need — a few hours so you can get to your own appointments, regular weekly relief, overnight or weekend coverage, or extended care while you travel or recover from your own surgery. Many families start with one afternoon a week and adjust from there.
That worry is the biggest reason caregivers don't take breaks — and the best answer is a gradual start. Request a caregiver before you absolutely need one, begin with short visits while you're still home, and stay present to evaluate and guide. Once you've found a good fit, we recommend a routine schedule — support you can count on, from a familiar face your loved one knows. And if you later need more coverage, you already have a trusted caregiver to call first.
In most cases, yes. Tell us what your days actually involve — supervision, redirection, transfers, personal care — and we'll refer caregivers with the credentials and experience those needs require. The honest answer: the best time to start is before things are critical. When dementia has progressed to where someone may be a danger to themselves or a caregiver, finding the right fit is more challenging — not impossible, and we'll gladly try, but we won't know until we know. One more reason not to wait.
Absolutely — that's actually what we recommend. Regular, scheduled respite is the most effective kind, because a consistent caregiver becomes a familiar face rather than a stranger, and a family caregiver who takes care of themselves is able to keep being there for their loved one. Every Tuesday afternoon does more for burnout than one rescue weekend a year.
You can request a different caregiver at any time — no hard feelings, no hassle. The right personality match matters, and your feedback helps us identify better candidates for you. We'll keep working with you until you find the right fit.
Often within 24 hours during the work week — the real timeline depends on how quickly the key pieces come together: documents, payment arrangements, and your caregiver preferences. Once those are in place, we can make a match. That said, this isn't a perfect world, and emergencies happen. If you're facing a crisis — a fall, a hospital discharge, a family caregiver who's burned out — call us, and we'll prioritize your search. In urgent situations, care can be arranged in as little as an hour.
Why families choose Abby Services
Local since 1997
Nearly three decades referring caregivers throughout Fort Myers, Cape Coral & Lee County.
Screened & experienced
We refer trained, background-screened caregivers — and help you direct their care.
Nurse-guided care plans
Our registered nurse is available to help you understand your loved one's needs — respite isn't one-size-fits-all, and neither is your search for the right caregiver.