Respite care innovations for carers of people with dementia.

The importance of family carers to making a reality of community care policy is now widely recognized. The central role of carers was recently confirmed by the launch of 'The Carers' National Strategy' (Department of Health (DoH), 1999). In his foreword to this document, the Prime Minister, Tony Blair, acknowledged carers as the 'unsung' heros of British life' and pledged to raise the level and quality of the support that carers receive. Although the primary responsibility for meeting carers' needs still rests with local authorities the strategy charges everyone involved in the caring services with paying greater attention to supporting family members. In allocating monies to move the strategy forward the Government identified the provision of short breaks as one of the major priorities. This article describes the development of an innovative service for people with dementia and their carers in Sheffield. The service evolved following a research study on the views of carers and of people with dementia which identified the need for the provision of short breaks which were flexible, responsive and person-centred.