Assen launches first respite care program in Drenthe to prevent caregiver burnout
Assen introduces a new respite care scheme to support informal carers at risk of burnout. This low-threshold initiative offers temporary relief, allowing carers to recharge while ensuring their loved ones receive professional care. The program aims to sustain vital informal care without overwhelming those who provide it.
| Key Data | Details |
|---|---|
| Municipality | Assen (first in Drenthe) |
| Scheme Name | Respite Care Scheme |
| Provider | ZorgMies Assen and surroundings |
| Start Date | 2026 |
| Annual Budget | €50,000 |
| Expected Deployments/Year | 28 |
| Target Group | Informal carers at risk of burnout |
| Assessment Required? | No (low-threshold access) |
| Part of Action Plan | Informal Care Support Action Plan 2025/2026 |
| Provincial Ambition | Pilot for additional provincial funding |
The municipality of Assen is responsible for implementing local care policies and supporting vulnerable groups, including informal carers. This initiative aligns with its broader commitment to prevent caregiver burnout and ensure sustainable care structures within the community.
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Assen introduces Drenthe’s first respite care scheme for informal carers
We are taking an important step in strengthening support for informal carers. Assen is the first municipality in Drenthe to introduce the respite care scheme: a new, low-threshold form of temporary support for informal carers at risk of burnout. The scheme is run by ZorgMies Assen and its surroundings and will be available from this year.
Many informal carers gradually become more deeply involved in caring for a loved one. Step by step, they take on more tasks, often without realising it themselves. Until the moment it all becomes too much. We want to prevent informal carers from reaching breaking point. For informal carers, the neighbourhood team is always the first point of contact. They brainstorm solutions, identify people in the neighbourhood who can help and know the way to more specialised care when needed. Sometimes, however, more is required to catch one’s breath. When an informal carer is at risk of burnout, the neighbourhood team can decide to deploy the respite care scheme. A care professional from ZorgMies then temporarily takes over a number of care tasks. This creates space for the informal carer to catch their breath. The aim is for informal carers to continue their vital role without neglecting themselves. The scheme is therefore explicitly temporary and focused on sustainable relief. After the respite period, support is provided by the neighbourhood team of informal care supporters, and a review is conducted to explore structural support for the longer term.
Councillor Jan Broekema is pleased that this scheme is now in place: “In Assen, we believe that informal carers should never feel alone. They deserve support, recognition and space to keep going. With the respite care scheme, we are taking an innovative step as the first municipality in Drenthe. I am proud that we can make this possible and that we can truly give informal carers some breathing space.”
Part of the informal care support action plan
The respite care scheme stems from the Informal Care Support Action Plan 2025/2026, in which we are committed to strengthening respite care and preventing burnout. The scheme is deployed without the need for an assessment, so help is available quickly when needed. An annual budget of €50,000 is available, which is expected to fund 28 respite care deployments per year.
The scheme is also being introduced as a pilot within the Drenthe working group on Informal Care’s respite care action plan, with the ambition of securing additional provincial funding.