Yes—he beats me at the game!
About Respite Request
The call came in the middle of a busy shift. A daughter, exhausted and overwhelmed. Her mom had just suffered a stroke and was in the hospital. Her mom had been her dad's primary caregiver—he lives with dementia. Now she desperately needed a safe, temporary place for her dad while her mom recovered.
"You're my fifth call today," she said, her voice breaking. "Everyone keeps saying they'll check and call me back. I just need somewhere safe for him."
That's when I realized the gaps in the system. That's why Respite Request exists.
Finding temporary care for aging loved ones shouldn't be this hard. We make it easier for families and healthcare teams to find short-term respite and trial stays. Respite Request brings retirement residences, home-care providers, and discharge planners into one simple place so people can compare options, message securely, and request tours without phone-tag.
Our Mission
We exist to make finding respite care faster, transparent, and stress-free. When families need short-term care for a loved one, they deserve clear information, immediate availability updates, and direct communication with providers. No gatekeepers. No sales pressure. Just honest connections between families and the care teams ready to help.
Why We Started
Respite Request began during the toughest days of the pandemic. Our founder was working long shifts inside retirement living, helping families navigate safety protocols, staff shortages, and constant uncertainty. Even after exhausting days, he kept building a tool that could reduce friction for families and for the teams who support them.
Information lived in too many places. Families were stressed and tired. Providers wanted to help but were buried in calls and emails. There had to be a better way to match real availability with real need.
The Journey
2019-2020: Concept and Early Builds
While working inside retirement homes, Daniel started building the first version of Respite Request to solve the information gap he witnessed every day.
2020-2022: First Public Directory
Launched the first public directory focused on respite and trial stays. Listening to caregivers, providers, and hospital discharge teams shaped every feature.
2023-2024: Messaging and Provider Dashboards
Added secure messaging, tour request tools, and provider dashboards. Focused on data quality and expanding listings across Canada.
2025: Introducing Navelder AI Concierge
Launched Navelder AI Concierge to provide instant, intelligent matching. Now families can have natural conversations about their needs and get connected to available providers in real-time—reducing phone tag and speeding up placements.
Today: Nearly 800 Providers
Profile completeness scoring, responsiveness badges, and a growing ecosystem of partners. Our focus is speed, accuracy, and less phone-tag for everyone.
What We Believe
Families first. Clarity reduces stress. When families have accurate information, they can make confident decisions faster.
Providers are partners. Better tools free up time for care. We help providers showcase their services and respond to families efficiently.
Quality data wins. Completed profiles, clear care levels, and fast replies help everyone make better matches.
Progress over perfection. We improve in small steps, every week, based on feedback from our community.
Meet the Founder
Daniel McShane
Founder & CEO
Respite Request grew out of long days inside retirement living during the pandemic and a conviction that families deserve less friction. With a background in community operations and law enforcement, and a Master of Arts in Leadership, I'm focused on turning real-world challenges into practical tools.
Our aim is simple: help families make confident decisions and help providers spend more time on care. Everything we release comes from listening to the people we serve.
What's Next
We are building deeper integrations with providers, enhancing live availability, and continuing to improve our completeness scoring and responsiveness badges.
If you are a provider, claim your profile and add your video tour. If you are a caregiver or discharge planner, tell us what would make your work easier.
We listen and ship improvements quickly. Our goal is to make respite care accessible, transparent, and stress-free for everyone involved.
Contact
Have questions? Want to list your community on Respite Request? Partnerships, media, or feedback—we would love to hear from you.