Respite Care in Bala Cynwyd, PA

Daley Hope Health Care provides respite care to family caregivers across Bala Cynwyd, Narberth, Wynnewood, Ardmore and the surrounding Lower Merion communities.

What is respite care?

Respite care is temporary, scheduled relief for a family caregiver. A trained caregiver takes over the day-to-day support — personal care, meals, companionship, supervision — so the family member can rest, work, travel or simply leave the house without worrying.

It is care for the person receiving it and for the person who has been providing it. Both matter, and the second one is usually the one nobody asks about.

How do I know if I need respite care?

The common signals are practical, not dramatic: canceled appointments of your own, no overnight away in months, irritability with the person you are caring for, and a growing sense that nobody else could step in.

Families often wait until something breaks — the caregiver’s health, a job, a marriage. Scheduling relief before that point is far easier than arranging it during a crisis.

Respite pattern	Typical use	Good fit when
A few hours weekly	Errands, appointments, rest	You have no reliable time off
A regular weekday block	Work or standing commitments	You are balancing a job with caregiving
Evenings or overnight	Sleep recovery	Nights are interrupted
Weekend coverage	A break or family event	You cannot leave for two consecutive days
Extended / vacation	Travel or your own medical care	You need to be away for a stretch
Ongoing scheduled	Sustainable long-term caregiving	Caregiving is now indefinite

How does respite care work with Daley Hope?

We start with a free consultation, build a care plan around your loved one’s routine, and match a caregiver who fits. There is no fixed hour minimum — the schedule is built to the situation.

Care can often begin the next day after a consultation. There is no one-size-fits-all hour minimum — Samera builds a custom care plan around the individual, so families can start with the schedule that actually fits rather than the smallest block an agency will sell.

Will my loved one accept a caregiver they do not know?

Usually, given a reasonable introduction. Resistance is normal at first and typically fades once the person is familiar rather than hypothetical.

Consistency is what does it. We aim to keep the same caregiver on a respite schedule so your loved one is seeing a familiar face, not a new one each time. If the match is not right, we will find one that is.

Is the agency licensed and are caregivers screened?

Pennsylvania requires home care agencies to be licensed and to screen every direct care worker. Under the Department of Health’s home care requirements, agencies established after December 12, 2009 must obtain a license before providing services, must conduct criminal background checks on all staff, and must conduct TB screens for direct care workers with consumer contact. Chapter 611 of the Pennsylvania Code adds face-to-face interviews and references before hire (§ 611.51), demonstrated competency (§ 611.55), and consumer protections including fee transparency and a complaint process (§ 611.57).

Daley Hope goes past those minimums: we require three references, drug screening, and driving record checks on caregivers, and every care plan is built and supervised by founder Samera Daley, a certified nursing assistant with more than 20 years of experience.

Who pays for respite care in Montgomery County?

Medicare does not pay for non-medical respite care. Two public programs in Montgomery County can, and Daley Hope accepts both private-pay and Community HealthChoices clients.

The Montgomery County OPTIONS program provides care management and in-home services to residents age 60 or older who have significant unmet needs affecting daily functioning. Covered services include Personal Care Services, Home Support Services, Home Delivered Meals, and Emergency Response Systems. It is income-based — enrolled older adults share in the cost based on income and the amount of services received.

Pennsylvania’s Community HealthChoices program is a Medicaid initiative built to help older Pennsylvanians and adults with physical disabilities remain in their communities rather than in facilities. Enrollees must be 21 or older and receive both Medicare and Medicaid, receive Medicaid long-term supports through a waiver, or be receiving Medicaid-paid nursing facility care.

Outside those programs, care is billed hourly with clear, upfront pricing and no long-term contracts.

What makes respite different in Lower Merion homes?

Lower Merion’s housing stock is old, and it shapes how care gets delivered. Many Bala Cynwyd, Narberth and Wynnewood homes have second-floor bathrooms, staircases with a handrail on one side, and laundry in the basement — the same places where falls tend to happen.

Our caregivers live in the communities they serve, across Bala Cynwyd, Cynwyd, Belmont Hills, Merion Station, Narberth, Wynnewood, Penn Valley and Ardmore. That matters on a snowy morning on a side street that has not been plowed yet.

Related

respite care services · personal care at home · the areas we serve · request a free consultation

Frequently asked questions

Can respite care be regular and recurring?

Yes. Many families book a standing weekly block, which is easier to sustain than occasional emergency coverage.

Can you cover overnight respite?

Yes. We schedule evenings, overnights, weekends and holidays.

How far in advance do we need to book?

Care can often begin the next day after a consultation, though standing schedules are easier to hold when arranged ahead.

Does respite care include personal care?

Yes. A respite caregiver provides the same hands-on support your loved one normally receives, including bathing, dressing and meals.

Other home care services in Bala Cynwyd: Personal Care · Companion Care · Meal Preparation · Post-Hospital Care · 24-Hour Care