Skip to main content
Loading
Anchor Homes
  • Care homes Open Child Nav
    • Care homes
    • Open Supporting your needs
      • Supporting your needs
      • Residential care
      • Dementia care
      • Respite care and short breaks
      • Convalescence care
      • Care home fees and funding assistance
      • Guide to choosing a care home
      • Support for care professionals
      • Read more guides and advice
    • Open Living in an Anchor care home
      • Living in an Anchor care home
      • What could my new home be like?
      • Catering and mealtimes
      • Approach to wellness and activity
      • Caring professional staff
      • Welcoming new residents
    • Find a care home

      Use our Property Finder to browse our care homes by location.

      Care homes by region
      • East of England
      • London
      • Midlands
      • North East
      • North West
      • South East
      • South West
      • Yorkshire and the Humber
      • View all care home locations
  • Property for sale Open Child Nav
    • Property for sale
    • Open Your purchasing options
      • Your purchasing options
      • Visit the Anchor New Homes website
      • Older Persons Shared Ownership
      • Shared ownership with Anchor
      • Independent living developments
      • Retirement villages
      • Read more guides and advice
    • Open Peace of mind
      • Peace of mind
      • A beautiful home for your future
      • Hassle-free property ownership​
      • Wellbeing services
    • Find a property for sale

      Use our Property Finder to search for your next home by location.

      Our latest developments
      • The Signals Hook, Hampshire
      • The Standard Wigan, Greater Manchester
      • The Dials Hinckley, Leicestershire
      • The Chimes Bingley, West Yorkshire
      • Pemberley Place Bath, Somerset
      • The Landings Kings Hill, Kent
      • View all properties for sale
  • Property to rent Open Child Nav
    • Property to rent
    • Open Applying to live with Anchor
      • Applying to live with Anchor
      • How to apply
      • Who can apply?
      • Allocations and waiting lists
      • Transfers and mutual exchange
      • Read more guides and advice
    • Open What is included?
      • What is included?
      • A well maintained home for your future
      • 24-hour peace of mind
      • A pet friendly home
      • Health and wellbeing services
      • An inclusive and welcoming community
      • Opportunities to shape our services
    • Find a property to rent

      Use our Property Finder to search for your next home by location.

      Popular locations
      • Ipswich
      • Leeds
      • London
      • Manchester
      • West Midlands
      • View all properties for rent
  • Housing with extra care Open Child Nav
    • extra care
    • Open Living safely and independently
      • Living safely and independently
      • What is housing with extra care?
      • 24 hour emergency call service
      • A pet friendly home
      • Staying active and connected
      • How to apply
      • Support for health and social care professionals
      • Read more guides and advice
    • Find housing with extra care

      Use our Property Finder to search for your next home by location.

      Popular locations
      • London
      • North Yorkshire
      • County Durham
      • West Midlands
      • Lancashire
      • West Yorkshire
  • Existing residents Open Child Nav
    • Existing residents
    • Open Manage your home
      • Manage your home
      • Report a repair
      • Manage your payments
      • Transfers and mutual exchange
      • Ending your tenancy
      • Right to Manage
      • Selling your Anchor home
    • Open Resident services
      • Resident services
      • Anchor on Call
      • Anchor Resident Support Fund
      • Customer relations, complaints and feedback
      • Our performance
      • Support with anti-social behaviour​
      • Update your communication preferences
      • Location phonebook
    • Open Free wellbeing support
      • Free wellbeing support
      • Financial advice service
      • Fitness, movement and activity
      • Socialising and meeting new people
      • Digital skills
      • Online learning and courses
    • Open Be involved
      • Be involved
      • Resident groups and panels
      • Resident updates
      • Resident publications
      • Resident satisfaction surveys
      • Support Anchor's sustainability journey
      • Nominate someone for a Loving Later Life Award
      • Apply for a community grant
  • About us Open Child Nav
    • About us
    • Open About Anchor
      • About Anchor
      • Anchor Board
      • Anchor Executive Committee
      • Annual report
      • Governance
      • Our regulators
      • Publications
    • Open Our values and ambitions
      • Our values and ambitions
      • Diversity and inclusion
      • Building on relationships
      • Resident involvement
      • Resident wellbeing
      • Safeguarding
      • Environment and sustainability
      • Pet friendly homes
      • Our memberships
      • Awards
      • New developments
    • Open Media centre
      • Media centre
      • News
      • Influencing and campaigning
      • Research
      • Blogs
      • Events
      • Social media
      • Media contacts
    • Open Supporting our business plan
      • Supporting our business plan
      • Information for investors
      • Land acquisition
      • Become a supplier
  • Contact Open Child Nav
    Duplication inside header--secondary
  • Living with us
  • Careers
  • Living with us
  • Careers

Property Finder

View properties via county

Login to Anchor

Looking for a new home with Anchor? Register for a website account to save your favourite properties.

Enter your email address or username.
Enter the password that accompanies your email address.
Register now
Forgotten your password? Click here to reset

Search our website

Looking for property contact details? Use our property phonebook

  • Home
  • Guides & support
  • What to expect from a respite care break

Last updated 27 February 2025

What to expect from a respite care break

If you’re considering respite care for a friend, relative, or yourself, you may be wondering what day-to-day life during a respite stay entails.

Here we take a look at some of the most important aspects of a respite stay at an Anchor care home and explore how our homes ensure every visitor gets the most from their individual respite stay with us.

Older woman sitting with carer drinking out of a cupWhat is daily life like during a respite stay at an Anchor care home?

The experience of respite care is always unique, as each one is suited to the person’s lifestyle, personality and needs.

Getting to know new residents

To begin with, we work hard to get to know the person who is coming to stay with us. We strive to gain a full sense of their hobbies and interests and learn about how they like to go about their day. With this picture to hand, we’ll then be able to provide our high-quality care and support in a manner best suited to their preferences and help them make the most of their time within the rich and stimulating community of an Anchor care home.

Health and wellbeing

Respite stays can provide an opportunity to boost a person’s sense of wellbeing. With a wealth of activities always available, and regular visits from hairdressers and medical professionals, such as chiropodists, a respite break can enable a person to interact with others in a range of different ways, from being pampered and having fun, to simply being able to discuss their concerns and ailments with professionals.  

We care about your privacy

At the same time, there is no obligation to completely change your daily routine. We understand and respect how important privacy and choice are. People who like time to themselves can continue to enjoy this, knowing that help is always at hand if needed.

What kind of activities are available during a respite care break in an Anchor care home?

Older couple playing board gamesBeing interested in what is going on around you and the opportunity to take part in meaningful activities are an essential part of life.

Resident-led activities

The teams in all our homes are dedicated to offering a diverse range of resident-led activities. All activities are available for both short-term visitors and permanent residents to enjoy equally and participation is always completely optional.

The choice of activities available in each home is varied to suit our residents’ preferences: if people would like to do something that’s not planned, then we’re always happy to make changes or introduce new things.

Colleague and family events

We also organise bigger events where colleagues, residents, friends, family and the local community can get together and join in the fun. These can range from fairs and charity fundraising events to education activities and competitions.

For a glimpse of other examples of these events, check out our blog and community events pages.

Food during a respite care stay

Our approach to catering recognises the importance of the mealtime experience in our daily lives and the benefits of providing people with the food they love. In all our homes, our menus are tailored to the culinary palates of our residents and every day there is an array of nutritious and tasty snacks and drinks available.

Residents can select from a variety of hot and cold meals at lunch and dinner times, and they’re able to begin the day with a continental or cooked breakfast and a range of cereals and toast. At afternoon tea home-baked scones, cakes, pastries and biscuits are always popular and supper is an option if someone feels peckish later on.

Our highly trained chefs

The work of our Chef Managers and their teams has been noted nationally on several occasions. Each year, we hold our internal Chef of the Year competition, where our catering colleagues can showcase their talents. Find out more about our Chef of the Year competition here.

Older people sat outside

Dietary preferences

As with all other aspects of our care, we’ll always accommodate any food preferences a resident may have, be they dietary, religious, medical or otherwise.

Mealtimes and food are something to look forward to and enjoy during a respite break with Anchor.

How sociable is the experience of a respite stay?

To enrich the experience of residents and visitors, Anchor care homes balance relaxing personal spaces with vibrant communal areas. Staying with us, people can fully enjoy the independence that professional care enables and readily access each home’s buoyant social life.

Respite care home services in a homely setting 

Every room is designed to be warm and homely, with a range of practical design features to make life easier, such as our 24-hour call system, presented discreetly.

Care home bedrooms

You can expect comfortable, self-contained bedrooms, most with en-suite facilities and all featuring television points for digital and satellite TV as well as telephone points and communal wifi access so that loved ones are never too far away. Regardless of the length of stay, we encourage everyone to personalise their rooms with objects dear to them: these could be photographs of family, ornaments, mementos, or a favourite chair.

Pet-friendly care homes

It’s important to make the room a space that’s home from home and why our care homes all enjoy a pet-friendly policy.

Communal areas

Communal areas can be found both indoors and out: residents can relax in the fresh air of our accessible sensory gardens, or catch up with friends and a pot of tea in the lounge. Many Anchor care homes also include other facilities such as a library, hair salon, shop or café which all add to the range of spaces you can enjoy with family and friends.

Your social life

Every Anchor home provides a readily available social life, something that people can struggle to access when living independently or receiving home care. We encourage everyone who enjoys a respite stay with us to continue to pop by the home from time to time after their stay has ended: Anchor homes are places for making friends, and we’re always delighted when we see those friendships endure.

Respite care breaks with an Anchor care home

Respite care breaks not only provide an opportunity for the person staying with us to receive specialist support in a warm, safe and friendly environment, but they can also offer their usual carer a well-earned rest.

If you’re interested in respite care at an Anchor property, contact one of our friendly teams in your area today to learn more. 

View all

Guides on making decisions and moving to a care home

Are next of kin responsible for care home fees?

Are next of kin responsible for care home fees?

Are next of kin responsible for care home fees? Learn about family responsibility, understanding the legal responsibilities of being a guarantor, and managing care home fees here.

Understanding CQC ratings

Understanding CQC ratings

Learn what the Care Quality Commission is, how they assess the performance of care homes, what their ratings mean, and how you can find their inspection reports online in our free online guide.

A warm welcome

A warm welcome

We understand you’ll have many questions about finding a care home for you or a loved one and we’re here to support you every step of the way.

Checking care home quality standards

Checking care home quality standards

The independent regulator of health and social care in England is called the Care Quality Commission. Find out what they do and how their reports can help you choose a care home.

Care home selection checklist

Care home selection checklist

The care home selection process can seem a confusing and daunting task so Anchor have created a checklist to help you choose between the care homes you visit.

Preparing for full time care with a respite break

Preparing for full time care with a respite break

Respite care can be a good way for carers and loved ones to prepare for the transition into full time residential care. Find more information about short term care breaks here.

Is a care home the right move?

Is a care home the right move?

Before deciding on a move to a care home, it’s important to know the difference between the main types of accommodation available for older people. Find out more about your housing options.

Guide to choosing a care home

Guide to choosing a care home

Our guide to choosing a care home is designed to help you and your loved ones consider your choices carefully and make the right decision, at the right time, for you.

What to expect from a respite care break

What to expect from a respite care break

Our guide on what to expect from respite care helps show what day to day life is like for both residents and carers during a respite break.

Respite care: A guide for carers

Respite care: A guide for carers

Respite for carers holds benefits for both carers and loved ones. Find out more about short care breaks in our respite care guide for carers.

How to choose the right care home

How to choose the right care home

When choosing a care home you need to have a good think about what really matters to you. Learn how to choose the right one for your needs, ensuring comfort, care, and peace of mind.

This website uses cookies which track activity so that you get the best possible experience. By continuing to use this website we will assume you are happy and cookies will be set. You can change your cookie settings at any time.

 
Award 2025 - Top 20 care home group carehome.co.uk
We are a living wage employer
Inclusive employers standard gold accreditation 2023
RSPC pawprints housing award 2024 platinum
House proud pledge plus
Menopause friendly
Diversity network accreditation
For people not profit - NCF
  • Care homes
  • Property for sale
  • Property to rent
  • Housing with extra care
  • Contact us
  • Guides & support
  • News & updates
  • Media
  • Careers
  • Investors
  • Become a supplier
  • Land acquisition

Newsletter

Keep updated on Anchor news, events and exclusive offers

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Youtube
  • LinkedIn
  • Terms and Conditions
  • Privacy Policy
  • Accessibility
  • Modern Slavery and Human Trafficking Statement
  • myHR staff portal

© 2025 Anchor Hanover Group

Share this page...

Share via social media

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Whats App
  • Facebook messenger
  • Email