Respite programs for caregivers of persons with dementia: a review with practice implications

This paper critically reviews evidence concerning the role and impact of center-based respite programs for the family caregivers of persons with dementia. It examines the timing, intensity and duration of day program utilization, the expectations the caregivers bring to these programs, and the impacts that derive from program participation, drawing on this information to propose ways of optimizing the role played by this component of the community's long-term system of care.