24-hour senior care at home in Switzerland

Family carers: respite and support

What you are entitled to – and how you can breathe again.

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Family carers achieve an enormous amount – often for years, alongside work and family. It is a valuable role, but it can also be a heavy burden. This guide shows what respite and support options exist in Switzerland, what financial help may be available and how care at home can noticeably take the weight off your shoulders.

Challenges for family carers

The strain takes many forms:

  • Physical and emotional exhaustion from constant responsibility

  • Hardly any breaks and little time for your own needs

  • The difficulty of balancing caring, work and family

  • The feeling that you can no longer cope with everything that is expected of you

Asking for support is not a sign of weakness – it is what makes it possible to be there for someone you love in the long term.

Financial support and compensation

In Switzerland, there are several schemes that can provide financial support for family carers. Eligibility and amounts depend on individual circumstances and should be clarified with the compensation office (Ausgleichskasse) or the canton:

  • OASI care credits (AHV): credited to your old-age and survivors’ insurance (OASI) account and taken into account when your pension is calculated later, if you care for relatives who receive a helplessness allowance and live within easy reach.

  • Helplessness allowance (OASI/IV): paid by OASI or the disability insurance (IV) to people who regularly depend on help from others in everyday life.

  • Supplementary benefits (EL): if pension and income do not cover living costs.

  • Employment of family members: some Spitex organisations (home nursing services) employ and pay family members who provide care – the requirements vary depending on the provider and the canton.

Respite through 24-hour care at home

A caregiver who lives with the person being cared for takes on everyday tasks, companionship and supervision around the clock. This gives family members reliable time off and the reassurance that someone is there – day and night. It leaves room again for your own health, and for genuine closeness rather than just caring tasks.

To find out how we give families practical relief, see Relief for families. You can also try our care with a no-obligation trial.

Frequently asked questions for family carers

Options include OASI care credits (AHV), the helplessness allowance (OASI/IV) and supplementary benefits (EL). Eligibility and amounts depend on individual circumstances and are clarified with the compensation office or the canton.

OASI care credits are not a cash payment. They are a notional amount that is taken into account when your pension is calculated later, if you care for relatives who receive a helplessness allowance and live within easy reach.

The helplessness allowance from OASI or IV supports people who regularly depend on help from others for everyday activities. It is applied for through the relevant compensation office.

In some cases, yes: some Spitex organisations employ and pay family members who provide care. The requirements vary depending on the provider and the canton and should be checked directly.

A caregiver who lives with the person being cared for provides care and supervision around the clock. This gives family members reliable time off. Prices start at CHF 5’080 per month (5 days a week) or CHF 7’530 per month (7 days a week).

Sources

Last updated: November 2026

More guides on senior care

Overview: Guide to care at home