A regular weekly slot
A set morning or afternoon frees you for errands, exercise or a class. Ask for the same PSW each time so your relative sees a familiar face.
Private home care · Toronto & Mississauga
Respite Care at Home in Toronto and Mississauga
A personal support worker steps in at home for an evening out, a full night's sleep or a week away, so the family member who usually helps can rest.
A Registered Nurse writes every plan, and nursing support is available 24/7.
Free in-home assessment. No obligation.
Respite, explained
A Break for the Person Who Does the Caring
Respite care is a scheduled break for the person who gives most of the day-to-day help, whether that is a spouse, a grown son or daughter, or a close friend. While that person is out, a personal support worker (PSW) from Integracare takes over. PSWs are trained aides who assist with bathing, dressing and household tasks.
Families spend the time catching up on sleep, working, keeping their own medical appointments or getting out of town for a weekend. Integracare, founded in 1991, arranges respite throughout Toronto and Mississauga.
Talk through your optionsWays to book
Breaks That Fit Around Your Week
Cover while you travel
For a wedding or a work trip, a PSW can come several times a day. If you will be gone a week or more, a live-in caregiver can stay in the home.
Time to recover yourself
If you need surgery or fall ill, a PSW can take on the hours you normally cover until you are well again.
Nights
Overnight Visits So You Can Sleep
An overnight visit lets you close your bedroom door or sleep at your own place. The PSW handles whatever comes up: help getting to the toilet, a change of position in bed, fresh sheets, or calm company if your relative wakes up confused.
If you find you need this cover most nights, our 24-hour home care keeps a caregiver awake on rotating shifts.
When short breaks stop being enough, live-in care places a caregiver in the home with a scheduled sleep break at night.
On shift
What the PSW Looks After
The PSW keeps to the routine in your relative's nurse-written care plan while you are out.
Personal care
Bathing, grooming, toileting and getting dressed, at a pace your relative is comfortable with.
Meals and fluids
Cooking to any special diet, plus reminders to drink water through the day.
Medication reminders
A prompt at each scheduled dose.
Moving safely
A steady hand to stand up from a chair, walk to the kitchen or get in and out of bed.
Light housework and errands
Dishes, laundry, tidying up and a quick trip for groceries or a prescription.
Company
Conversation, cards, an old photo album or a short walk around the block.
Nurse-led care
Every Respite Plan Starts With a Registered Nurse
Before respite starts, a Registered Nurse (RN) assesses your relative at home, then puts the care plan in writing. The RN stays in charge of that plan as health needs change. Visits are made by PSWs and by Registered Practical Nurses (RPNs), each matched to your relative.
Nursing support is available 24/7. If something changes during a visit, the PSW on shift and your family can both reach a nurse. In the Family Room, our online portal, invited relatives can follow the visit schedule and read caregiver notes as they are recorded.
Alongside public care
Adding Private Hours to Public Respite
Ontario Health atHome, the provincial agency for publicly funded home care, arranges public respite. A care coordinator works out which services your relative is eligible for, using an assessment of needs and what the local community offers. The number of home respite hours depends on the service and on your family's circumstances.
Integracare can add private evenings, weekends, light housework or a longer stretch around a trip.
Comparing options
Respite Choices in Toronto at a Glance
Details as of October 2026.
Scroll the table sideways to compare care options.
| Integracare respite at home | Publicly funded home respite | |
|---|---|---|
| How to start | Call 416.421.4243 or request a free assessment | A care coordinator's assessment |
| How long | From a few hours to several weeks, overnights included | Assessed for each family |
| What the family pays | Private pay, with pricing explained at the assessment | Paid by the province if your relative qualifies, with hours set by a care coordinator |
| Good to know | An RN writes the plan, and a nurse can be reached 24/7 | Homemaking is added only when personal support is also needed |
Plan Your First Break
Tell us which hours you need covered, and a Registered Nurse will plan the visits with you.
Local Resources
Other Respite Help in Toronto and Mississauga
Other organizations run these programs. Each sets its own rules, and Integracare is separate from all of them.
Ontario Caregiver Helpline, 1-833-416-2273: free phone support for family caregivers, answered 24/7. Staff point callers to local support groups and programs for the person receiving care. It is not a crisis line.
For other community programs in Toronto or Mississauga, dial 2-1-1.
Questions families ask
Questions About Respite Care in Toronto
Does Ontario Health atHome pay for respite in Toronto?
It can, for people who qualify. A care coordinator sets the hours, and they vary by family. Integracare is paid privately and covers the hours you choose, including evenings, overnights and weekends.
Can we book a single break, or does respite need to be regular?
Both work: a single weekend while you visit family out of province, or a fixed Tuesday afternoon every week. We plan the hours with you at the free assessment.
Can a PSW cover for me while I have surgery?
Yes. Whether your operation is at Sunnybrook, St. Michael's or Toronto Western, tell us the date and how long the recovery should take. A PSW takes on the hours you normally cover until you are well again. Book early, so the RN's assessment happens before you go in.
Can respite help if my relative has dementia?
Yes. The RN's assessment covers memory, routines and safety, and the PSW follows that plan. If help becomes a daily need, our dementia care service can take over.
Is Integracare part of Ontario Health atHome?
No. We are an independent provider, paid directly by families. Our visits can run alongside public services, and we plan around any care already in place.
How do we get started?
Book a free in-home assessment. An RN visits, learns how your relative's day runs and writes the plan before the first respite shift. Call 416.421.4243 in Toronto or 905.916.5454 in Mississauga, or use the request form.
Other services
More Care in Toronto and Mississauga
Home Care Services in Toronto
Dementia Care in Toronto
24-Hour Home Care in Toronto
Live-in Care in Toronto
Personal Support Workers in Toronto
Palliative Care in Toronto
We also provide respite care in Ottawa and respite care in Winnipeg.
Free In-Home Assessment
Arrange Respite Care in Toronto
Tell us what you need. A nurse will contact you within one business day.
Clinically reviewed by Bethel McMaster, BScN, RN ·