Objective: To investigate the operation of an innovative community respite program run by the Brotherhood of St Laurence: the Banksia ‘host‐home’ program, which was designed to provide respite for up to six people with dementia in a care‐worker's home. The program was funded by the Commonwealth Department of Health and Aged Care as part of a funding program for pilot respite care projects. Method: Interviews were conducted with program staff, carers and care‐recipients (older people with dementia). Information from written records such as funding submissions was also used. Results: People using the program were those who experienced barriers utilising centre‐based programs for older people for a range of reasons including advanced dementia, hearing difficulties, difficulties in social interaction or confusion. Carers were very appreciative of the service, and care‐recipients appeared to enjoy the program immensely, citing caring staff, social contact and activities as things they appreciated most. Conclusions: The host‐home program provided an accessible respite option for those unable to use centre‐based services. It enabled more individually tailored activities, greater socialisation and greater attention from staff than possible in centre‐based services. The informal ‘homely’ feel of the program and the fact that relatives obviously enjoyed participating may have made carers feel more comfortable in using a respite service. Since the model creates the potential for cost‐shifting and because of difficulties in supervising staff in their own homes, guidelines and standards appropriate to host‐home programs should be established to ensure quality of care and to protect paid staff and service users.