Medical respite care, also known as recuperative care, is acute and post-acute medical care for homeless patients who are too ill or frail to recover from a physical illness or injury on the streets, but who are not ill enough to be in a hospital. These programs provide a short-term, safe place to stay with an opportunity to rest, recover, and heal in a safe environment while accessing medical care and supportive services.Â
Homeless populations have significant health care needs and use hospitals at higher rates and for longer periods of time than their housed counterparts. Unfortunately, because they lack housing, hospital discharge planners often have difficulty finding a safe and appropriate venue for these patients to rest and recuperate after they no longer need acute care. Medical respite care (MRC) programs can help solve this problem by offering a better venue to maintain health stability achieved during hospitalization, and more comprehensive case management and care transitions planning. While ensuring permanent and affordable housing is the ultimate goal, medical respite programs can provide the needed care transition point between hospital and home.Â
