Nursing Home - Respite Stay

A respite stay at a nursing home can be applied for by individuals who have caregiving responsibilities at home. The care recipient—who can also apply—will receive a temporary stay in an institution.

Caregivers who have a particularly demanding caregiving role.

The person receiving respite care must have a particularly demanding caregiving responsibility at home. Factors that may be considered include the number of caregiving hours per month, whether the work is more physically or mentally demanding than usual, and whether it leads to interrupted sleep or social isolation.

The service is free of charge.

Hjelpetilbud i kommunen
Patient and interpreter. A brochure about interpretation in the health services

The municipality is required to provide this service. See Helse- og omsorgstjenesteloven § 3-2.

Forvaltningsloven
Helse- og omsorgstjenesteloven
Kvalitetsforskrift for pleie- og omsorgstjenestene
Verdighetsgarantiforskriften

There is no requirement for a written application. You can apply verbally over the phone. 

You will be informed when the municipality processes your case, and you will have the opportunity to provide input. The municipality will gather all necessary information to make a decision, and you have the right to access the case documents. The decision will include the municipality’s reasoning, how the decision was reached, and who was involved in the process. The decision will be sent to you in writing.

The municipality must process the case as soon as possible. If a decision cannot be made within one month, you will receive written notice explaining the delay and an estimate of when the decision is expected.

Both the caregiver and the care recipient can appeal the decision. You can appeal to the municipality within three weeks of receiving the decision. Explain what you are dissatisfied with and why you believe the decision should be changed. If you need guidance, you can contact the municipality. If the municipality upholds its decision, the case will be forwarded to the County Governor, who will determine whether the appeal is upheld.