Respite care: temporary relief for caregivers.

Recent respite care research is reviewed, advantages and disadvantages of respite- and home-based care are presented, and some recommendations are introduced. It may be more cost-effective to invest in caregivers' physical, financial, and emotional well-being than to provide the care required when caregivers become "patients." Practical and policy issues are raised regarding the desirability of investment in respite care.