Long-term care insurance benefits to family caregivers
Only a relatively small number of older adults have long-term care insurance. But if the person or persons you're caring for have such a policy and it covers in-home care, there may be a way for you to be paid out of its benefits. If the policy covers in-home care but the persons in your care aren't yet collecting benefits, you can help them file a claim for benefits based on their care needs. If they qualify for monthly in-home care benefits and the policy pays them directly to them, they can use that money to pay you.
If, on the other hand, the policy requires that payment be made only to a state-certified in-home care aide, check with the National Family Caregivers Association or the Family Caregiver Alliance to find out the requirements in your state for getting such certification yourself. Often, low-cost certification classes are offered at local adult schools or community colleges.
Drawing up a personal care agreement
If the person or persons you're caring for are going to pay you -- from any source, including independent funds -- for caregiving, it's a good idea to draw up a simple contract that sets out the terms of the care and payment. This can help avoid uncertainty and disagreement between you and them about what you're supposed to be doing and when. Also, it can help avoid misunderstandings with other family members about who's supposed to be providing care and about where the money is going. If the person or person you're caring for ever need to enter a nursing home and aren't already on Medicaid, the agreement will show that these payments to you were legitimate, and not just an attempt to "hide" funds in order to qualify for Medicaid. To find out more about why a personal care agreement can be a good idea, and how to go about drafting one, see Prepare a Personal Care Agreement With Your Parent.
what if all your LO has is medicare. and can't get medicard..??
My husband is physically disabled which causes to where I cant work. Who do I contact inorder to get paid to take care of him?
my 28 year old daughter recieves ssi..she is a diagnosed schizophrenic ..she lives at home with me. i work, but have had to have my hours cut , i now work 25 hours weekly at minimum wage. the job i work is close to home so i can be there if there is an episode..its getting more difficult to for me to work with her condition, i live in pa. and my question ..is there any financial help for me as her care giver..
need more hints about heart disease , and the foods i can eat and should not eat
does any one know what the lfa or lha stands for an the licensing process
KLS, I do agree that medicare recipients need more help than they are getting for assistance with home care, but to state that anyone on medicaid didn't pay into the system and is not entitled to assistance is simply untrue. I worked hard all my life. An accident off the job, an employer who couldn't wait to get rid of me so I no longer had disability benefits or medical insurance, the realization, after two years of fighting the obvious, that I could no longer work, and then add to that trying to care for two elderly parents. I am in the process of losing my home and most everything else I have, and eventually I will qualify for medicaid.
You have to be careful when hiring an individual. IRS (and the State of CA), both want payroll taxes and w-2's at year's end.
This type of help and assistance for family members should not just be available for Medicaid patients. Fact is, those on Medicare are the ones that have worked and paid in taxes and not those receiving Medicaid. Help those that have worked to provide for all. This is ridiculous not to provide for Medicare patients.
Hello Everyone, I am taking care of My Mom & have been since 2009. I have been going through some Health Problems Myself so I am unable to work at this time. I was wondering whom I can get intouch with to find out if I can get paid for being a Caregiver for My Mom. I live in the state of Georgia U.S.A. I don 't trust Anyone to take Care of Her except for Me. She is also a Person with Low Income. If You can Help Me Thanks Very Much. God Bless Each & Everyone that is Helping their Family Members through this difficult time.
Just everything available on your Site , I find helpful. Thank you for it. I have Friends who are doing this Job and not sure they know re. getting pd. for it? EA
Find out if person you're caring for has any type of long term health care policy. Not everyone has long term included. In my father's instance, he purchased a separate long term policy that we knew as a nursing home policy. Dad can't live alone, so my brother has lived with and cared for him for the past few years. Due this, brother is unable to work. I'm just now finding out Dad's policy will pay $30/day to the caregiver. I haven't looked into yet the requirements or details for my brother. Now it's taking all my time and efforts as we recently had to put Mom in the local nursing home.
Please direct me to Florida Resources for a Cash and Counseling or similar program that would allow me to care for my 43 year old wife who was recently diagnosed with Stage 4 adenocarcinoma rectum (Colon Cancer) She has been approved for Temporary Medicaid in the State of FL but I believe the recent diagnosis will change that to permanent. I am our only source of income and self employed but the change in the economy has left me barley able to pay bills and now this. After being together for 16+ years we unfortunately have no children and having lost my mother to a drug overdose she is all I have left. Please, someone help me...
Hugs dinas
For the person who "could have" gotten help through Veteran's Assistance, don't sweat it. It takes MONTHS & MONTHS, which I personally feel is deliberate because I've known of three people who have tried to get on the program and all passed away before ever being approved, even though the amount quoted them was no more than $200 - $300 a month. You'd think the VA was handing out gold bars the way they're so tight with any help they MIGHT have given.
I take care of my mom,I have no income.my mom has been paying for everything I need since I cannot work and live with my mom.If I see my Dr. it's 15.00$ every visit and since i don't have medicaid or income I have no way of paying for anything it's on my mom.I am in the process of Disability, I have a premature bladder and a 3 intch tear in my 4th 5th and 6th Lumbar,I have no way of paying for back sugery or bladder surgery to stretch my bladder from the inside,since I am in the bathroom 38 or more times a day.I struggle to sleep which is impossable since I am in the bathroom all day and night long,My mom doesn't go to bed until 1 am or 2 am in the morning I sit up with her worried she may fall,I am exsausted with barely no sleep.I keep on because my mom needs me and I love and care for my mom.
Hugs caring2011
Symptoms of sundowning and pay for in-home caregiver were most helpful.....exactly what I was looking for.
Thank you never knew I could get help by being paid to take care of my mom.
I'm 62,i quit my full time job back in 2000, to take care of my handicap son, things were fine til 2009, they cut my hours down, now oct, 1st this year i also had to take a 20% cut in pay. I'm to old to go out a get a job. why are they doing this to familys that take care of there own and know what they need and whats best & good for them !!!!!!!
I sold my home and moved to Ohio to take care of my86 year old brother.his children live out of state. they were planning on putting him in a nursing home. but he did not want to go. thry are 2 of them makes over$100,000 a year.they never offered me a dime-to take care of their father.i was with hime 24 /7, took him for all his appointments, hospitals day or night.he had no money , i never got paid for anything.all they could say was thank you for taking care of Dad. i did it for 37 months,i had another brother there that went with us to the doctors but i had to clean his s--- when he had diariah.but he told us a week before he died with pneumonia that he had a million dollar policy paid up, and he said it will be divided 4 ways, do you think i got any of that for taking care of him. i think they got it and is not going to let me know about it..all my family is against them the way they done me, cause all his friends and my family knows how good i was to take care of him. he did not want to live with any of them, he was happy at my place.i had one week of vacation in 37 months.his daughter came and stayed that week and when i called her 50 miles away and told her i would be home in an hour, well Lord behold when i got home she left him there and was on her way back to PA.she sure loved her father did'nt she. i think when they found out he did'nt leave any money,I always called them when i took him to the hospital but when he died last year , some of his friends and my friends said they could not believe the way they were at the funeral home. they was not around his casket hardly at all.and they are suppose to be so religious. he was so good to all of them.i loved my brother and i dont regret taking care of him. is their any way i could get money for the care that i gave him? even if it is to take them to court?all he had left was a building he rented and i collected all the rent and put it in his acct, but it went to his son,i used my time gas and all and was so truthful of everything i did for him.cooked , wash clothes, and made sure he had 3 meals a day.he liked a few weeks being 90 years old when he passed.he owed me some money that i had loaned him and you know i had to get me an attorney, but i havent got nothing from them yet,and i wont get it until the building sells. i am thru with them,i was always so close to them in fact i was their only aunt. they can all go straight to hell as far as i am concern.i am from a large family and they are all peeved about it.they just didn't want to keep him as they all went on vacations and didn't have to do anything for him.he was a retired CHIEF IN THE NAVY. but he never did ask them for a dime, but they are money hungry. i would like to know how i can find out if they got that million dollar policy. it was to be devided 4 ways, he has 3 kids, and i told him that he only had 3 kids he said but i want it devided 4 ways cause you are the one that took care of me. but he was doing fine the evening before he died, his daughter had him moved to a private room so she could spend more time with him, he was in intensive care and the next morning he died at 6 in the morning,i was his power of atty at the va hosp.so how could she have done that? i think she had her mind on the million and wanted him to go.so she could collect it.well if you could please let me know what i can do. he was on oxygen in intensive csre so when he moved he did not have oxygen, i miss him very very much.cause i loved my brother very much.more then her.
Medicare patients (people who obviously have worked all their life) cannot get in home care but Medicaid ones can. These people will be on the back of taxpayers all of their lives, most of them having practiced bad lifestyles, smoking, drinking etc while NOT WORKING and they get special treatment? I live next door to such people, they never miss a visit to the doctor if they sneeze twice, free drugs, dental care, surgeries for knee, hip replacement, etc, food stamps, section 8, there is not a handout they don't like. And now their relatives can get on the bandwagon with them. There is such abuse of this system that it needs to be overhauled ASAP. And doctors love it, especially now that insurance companies are paying less and less. They know that all of the often unnecessary care they are providing will be paid pronto, no questions asked. They can even pad the bill because who will know? certainly not the patient who never even sees the bill.
I'm a caregiver of a senior in California and he's on Social Security and Medicare. He's not eligible for Medicaid. I've been taking care of him since 2004 full time and he has a bevy of health issues. He's low income as well. I wanted more information on how I would be able to get paid as a caregiver. Thank you!
Hello to everyone.I am the caregiver of my 76 yr old mother who had a stroke and now paralyzed. I get paid for about 90 hours per month. To contact and inquire this State agency, please Google and type the word IHSS, (In Home Supportive Services) State of CA. You will see the different regions in CA that services this program. A Social Worker will be assigned to process your case. Once approved, you will received a bi-monthly check directly for IHSS deposited to your bank account. Good Luck.
Hugs caring2011
Excellent article. I serve as a Facilitator under the Elderly and Disabled with Consumer Directed Services Waiver here in VA. The waiver in Virginia is just the name for the funding source but covers the same services. To obtain information in VA you can contact your local DSS or Health Department. Any person can receive payment as long as they are not legally responsible to provide care such as a mother to a minor child.
Very informative.to those who does self home caregivers to thier elderly.
Hello, 19 years ago I had open heart surgery, 5 by-pass, 17 years ago I received a stent, I have diabetes, I am retired 6 years and continue to work, part time. Come on america, in Japan, China and Philappines they look after there own with out hand outs, take charge and figure out a way of providing. I know of a 475 lb person who is diabetic, smoke 3 packs a day, has COPD, and is on medicaid because she is to lazy to take care of her self, this is BS. Sorry, I could go on but it is the truth, every one wants a hand out.
In home cair .I have a sister that is caired for by her children.They know that the home will be taken from them if there mother is placed in a home.
So, if you get Medicare you don't qualify to have someone look after you. Only those in low income. I pity them because why didn't they work, when they were young, so now they get free care; while we have to pay out of our own pockets, if we need someone to look after us.
My family went though much of parents' assets to pay my sister to care for my mother, who had MS and was bed bound, and my dad, who had dementia. He was a veteran.Worked as a surgeon in the South Pacific for five years during World War II. I now find out that we could have had some assistance from the Veterans' Admnistration. Would have been helpful since we have a brother with a lifelong illness. For all their yammering about poltiicial issues, the government is inept at communicating about what assistance people can receive, though very good at collecting taxes year after year. Tax reform is needed. You should be able to deduct every cent you spend on a family member's care and the equivalent of the salary you have given up to care for them. I have a friend who has two children with bipolar disorder and cannot work as an attorney. The family has severe costs for caring for them, but not a penny of help.
i wish to seek help for my mom so that the state could make an exception for her, so i can serve my disable mother, without a language barrier. How can i contact the state in state of GA? A contact number please.
Hi I am interested in giving home care but have no idea how to start , any ideas on how to start . I am very good with people most of all old. Please let me know of any ways to go about it and to get paid. THANKS
Hello, Maybe I can help someone where to LOOK for the Family paid caregiver plan...I live in California and found my contact through IHSS, under government. They will have a social worker come to your home to access your family member and home to see how they can HELP you. My daughter will be signing up for this program shortly to help out her ole mom here. IHSS stands for IN HOME SOCIAL SERVICES. Atleast this is the name they gave it in California. Hope this can help anyone....
Hey everyone, I just wanted to remind you that there is a lot of great information on this very article about how to get paid to be a caregiver. If you have further questions about eligibility on getting paid to be a caregiver for your situation, please contact your local Area Agency on Aging ( http://www.caring.com/local/area-agency-on-aging ) and see if they know of any programs that can be of assistance. If you are asking about getting paid to pay for someone under the age of 65, unfortunately we have no expertise or information on this topic. Take care -- Emily | Community Manager
Prayers kldcaretaker@yahoo.c
my brother is 55 his wife no longer wants to care for him,, he get social security because he has had open heart surgeries, stoke diabeties. he has a a leg halo becasue he has had surgery on his heel because of a dibeic sore, , he can;t walk or care for his self i care for him in my home,, can i get paid to care for him,., PLEAQSE ANU COMMENTS WOULD BE APPRECIATED,
Hugs Icareforhim
Prayers v.jackson
hello . i am caring for my pattener . that is disable. can i get paid to stay at home with him ? he is 64 and i work 36 hours a week .
I was wondering is Medicade the only adgency that helps with giving help to care givers to get paid for their elderly senior or someone who is disabled in the family. I am a care giver not just to my Husband but also to my children who are on medicade. My husband has MS and Fibermialga and is almost blind, and my daughter has Fibermialga but is recieving ssi and ssa because of Bipolar and Sckitsafrinia and my Son recently broke his neck in july 2 of 2010. He did not sever his spine just Brused it but still has much physical ailments that prevent him from doing some things he use to do.
This is a follow up from my previous post. When posting on this site for medicaid elder care. I would post your state, as the elder care programs thru medicaid varies from state to state. The state my mom lives in is OHIO. We met with a caseworker this past week. Who evaluated my moms situation. Even though my mom lives with my sister there was no assistance offered to my sister for taking care of my mom. However, she said they could offer to pay for someone to stay with my mom while she works. The program that she offered was called "CHOICES". She said we would have to wait 3 months to get on the program. She did ask if there was anything that we wanted for my mom. I told her that we needed to pay someone to watch my mom at night. Why do the caseworkers not say these are the programs that you are eligible for? There might have been a program that we wanted to sign up for but have never heard of. So if you are in the state of OHIO contact the passport program and ask to sign up for the "CHOICES" program. As with any medicaid program. Medicaid may attach a lien to your property when your loved one passes. So be sure to check on that possible situation.
Hugs Lois w
I already visited that site (http://www.caring.com/local/area-agency-on-aging). It didn't have the information I'm looking for. When my husband became disabled, I was looking for work. I stopped looking because he needs me to stay at home to care for him and ride him to his medical appointments (at least one per week). I am no longer available for work outside the home. We really need the money, and I'm trying to find out if there is any way I can be compensated for being a caregiver for my husband.
good info, as caregiver of parent with Altzheimers, it would help with the day to day care as she lives with me. I will go through Dept of aging here in Oregon to see if she qualifies for Relative Foster Care.
Hugs jacasa
Explanation of Cash and Counseling. States currently using it.
Hugs bighouse
Hello - My wife is totally disabled. I have been unemployed for almost 2 years and have been able to care for her. I heard it was possible to receive some sort of compensation for doing so. How would I go about doing this? Thank you.
hi i have clicked on all the links still no answers on how exactly get income for taking care of my 87 yr old mom she has medicare ssincome but doesn't directly help me she's very forgetful and we always payin for her meds and all the daily extra's ....every link brings me back to same page that isn't helpful at all.
I would like more info on this subject. Thanks
Information on options I didn't realize were even available.
I already visited that site (http://www.caring.com/local/area-agency-on-aging). It didn't have the information I'm looking for. When my husband became disabled, I was looking for work. I stopped looking because he needs me to stay at home to care for him and ride him to his medical appointments (at least one per week). I am no longer available for work outside the home. We really need the money, and I'm trying to find out if there is any way I can be compensated for being a caregiver for my husband.
How to go about payment for being a caregiver to my mom.
I live in Ohio. My mom currently receives medicare and medicaid. My mom is 84, blind, diabetic, kidney failure, and dementia. I would like to know if there is a program that will pay family members to care for my mom. If so who should I contact? She already has a case worker at job and family services. Wouldn't they have already recommend a program for her. Since it is pretty evident that she can not be left alone? Or is it that her case worker is not doing their job?
Hello Anonymous, Thank you very much for your comment. There is a lot of great information in this very article about how to get paid to be a caregiver. In addition, please contact you local Area Agency on Aging for more information ( http://www.caring.com/local/area-agency-on-aging ). I hope that helps get you started. Good luck!! -- Emily | Community Manager
This article would have been more helpful if it told me how to apply for benefits.
If it told me how to apply for benefits.
I live in Baltimore County, Maryland. I heard that I can get paid by the government for taking care of my disabled husband. Is this true, and if so, through what agency. Can I apply online?
Hi, My husband and I moved to a 55+ community in Florida..In our park there was an 88 year old woman living by herself with her dog (which she loved). My husband realized that she had no one. All her siblings died and all she has is nieces and nephews that she has not seen in 50 years. My husband and I would go and get her groceries, take her to the doctors and take her dog to the vets and to get groomed. We never charged her anything because we didnt want to feel like we were taking advantage of her. One day she came out of house and fell and broke her hip. My husband and I have stayed with her thru the whole illnesses and we are still taking care of her. She is in a nursing home and getting below standards of care. We went in one day and she looked flush. She kept grabbing her throat when she would swallow. I told my husband she was in alot of pain. He told the people to take her vitals. (he has medical and durable power of attorney). He pays her bills and makes decisions on her health care. He called 911 and had the ambulance pick her up and bring her to the hosp. When she got there they catherized her and her urine turned a light color of green and was real thick. The nurse said she had a severe UTI. They did an EKG and her heart was beating at 165 beats per minute. They put her on an IV drip to lower it and on an antibiotic for the UTI. She was in severe pain from thrush mouth. She had not eaten or drank for two weeks (just a small amount to keep her alive) She was severely dehydrated to a point they had a hard time getting a vein. We travel everyday; sometime twice a day to see her. It is 50miles round trip. We are remodeling our home so she will have a bedroom. We want to bring her home with us and get a full time caregiver to take care of her. Over the course of taking care of her we have learned that she has quite a bit of money which is going to the nieces and nephew she does not know. They found out that they are in the will and are making a trip to florida to get the details of her will. My question is; as care givers can we be reimbursed (legally) for our remodeling and her care in our home. I would not even ask for money, but why should her relatives get it all and they have done nothing but come to ck our her will. My husband can write cks to pay for her expenses as far as bills. She is now so confused, she would not be competent enough to change her will. So they will inherit anything that is left over. Please let me know if it is possible for us to get reimbursed our expenses and time. We love her and will take care of her for free if we have to do that. If it was her going to profit from her money I would not charge her a penny, but I dont want her ingreatful relatives to get it. One nephew had nerve enough to call us and ask if we had her will in order because he didnt want to waste time and money to come here if he was not going to get any money. Makes me sick. She is still alive. Hope u can help us with some answers
All information was helpful. Can you give any information about what Tricare for Life can do for us? Thank you, Justme2
Learning about alternative ideas
My Grandmother's niece (60) has taken care of her for 7 years. She kinda of just went in and took control. Never really asked for any other family member's opinion. She has power of attorney and coerced my Grandmother to pay for very expensive things like: facelift, entire mouth full of dental implants for herself… then she's gotten her to change her will among other questionable things. However, my Grandmother appears well cared for but is now having memory problems/possible early stage dementia.. so she will be put in a nursing home soon, which I hate. Is it wrong for me to be angry that since she is taking care of her she feels entitled? I would like an inheritance but to tell you the truth, I have done well. It is more the manipulation by a family member. My sister and I are her only grandchildren. My father was her only son and he died when I was 16. If you can't trust your family who can you trust? I hope my sister and I deal with my Mother fairly.
I was taking care of my grandmother and was getting paid 125 per day shift. She is now being moved to a assisted living facility, and to find more work I am using ifindcare.com
My 20 year old nephew is permanently disabled (as a result of a drunk driver)...are there means by which long term financial support can be supplied without jeopardizing state (PA) and or federal assistance?
Have a severely Autistic son now 21 who needs constant care, wears diapers, needs food prepared for him, etc. He is non verbal and receives a small SS stipend each month. We live extremely remote here in California,.. 1/2 hour to a paved road and either my wife or I have to stay home to care for him. My wife has a part time job part of the year and I am unemployed and have been for three years,..Im 60,.. we are approaching insolvency within a few months. I am looking to see if there is any program anywhere that can help with costs. My wife and I will die if he has to be institutionalized because we cant afford housing or food for him. We own our own home and we have two vehicles so we do not qualify for any aid form the state. Any ideas? Thank you in advance. Tim
Prayers jojo412
Hello kayepeanyc, Thank you for your comment. I'm sorry to hear about your current care giving situation. If you have a question, you can post it in our Ask & Answer section, here: http://www.caring.com/ask . Take care -- Emily | Community Manager
Hugs annieokra
Since my dad passed away about 1 1/2 years ago I've been caring for my 85-year-old mom's day-to-day needs. My sister (who lives in California) and I consult regularly on how to keep Mom safe and healthy in her own home. Because of the time it has taken to wrap up my father's estate, and to work on an ongoing basis with lawyers, bankers, doctors, medical and and homeowners insurance, repairmen, etc., I've been unable to work full-time. I currently work a regular part-time job and do freelance work. I want to ask my mom to pay me for helping her part-time but feel awkward. But I can barely pay my bills and can't get ahead; I'm really concerned about not being able to save. She does have the money to pay me. Any suggestions on how to broach this topic would be most helpful.
very helpful article
Hi Anonymous, thanks for your comment. If you'd like, you can post your question in our Ask & Answer section, here: ( http://www.caring.com/ask ). Take care -- Emily | Community Manager
Im taking care of my mother,she has Alzheimer's & Dementia,but Ive been told that when she goes in to full time care , I have to get out of the house .Is there any way I can stop where im at,even if I pay a minim rent or mortgage on the property. I would grateful if some one could have a answer to my problem .
I have a 22 yr old son that has major TBI. He needs 24 hr supervision. I live in Louisiana, he receives medicade and foodstamps. Is there anything else that we can do for help with supervision?
Hugs Emily M., jojo412
Reatta, Does your lawyer specialize in Eldercare? In Ohio, the Ohio Office of Job and Family Services handles the PASSPORT program and MEDICAID. Passport helps the elderly to stay in their home longer. HOWEVER, both PASSPORT and MEDICAID will attempt to recover money for any services given after the person passes away. http://aging.ohio.gov/services/passport/ So you need to talk to the lawyer to see what your options are. If your mother still owns her house or money, she can give you some of it, however, it is within the 5 years before you request assistance, Medicaid (& Passport) will consider that in appropriate transfer of money. They will start the service after your mom spends that amount of $ for her care. Find out from the lawyer what would be best in your situation. You can also pay for a social worker who specializes in geriatrics who would be able to tell you what resources are available. I was lucky when I was searching for a nursing home, a social worker gave me a list of services that was available. She had formerly worked for Ohio Job and Family Services. Each county handles their own services.
There are over 400 ILCs or Centers for Independent Living serving persons with disabilities around the country. To find your LOCAL center, please check this website: http://www.ilru.org/html/publications/directory/index.html. Your local center should be able to provide info., advocacy and some housing related services for you. These are generally core services for ILCs, all provide them in some form - even if it's just info. on how things work in your area. Ed Roberts, one of the founders of the Independent Living Movement for people with disabilities, was once asked about the most important service an ILC provides, and said it was: "advocacy, advocacy, advocacy." I think this is a good reminder that none of these programs, the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and 78, the ADA (1990), etc., were implemented without a lot of advocacy and activism from our community. It sounds like more advocacy is very much needed from what many of you are writing here. I am sorry I don't know the programs and rules in your state. Each state also has something called a State Independent Living Council, a SILC, to help people with disabilities & advocate for programs and services for us to remain safe and independent at home. If you can't reach someone at your local ILC, use the same website to contact your SILC & find out why there aren't more of these programs and services where YOU need them. Good Luck.
What about OHIO? Seems like everything on here deals with CA, PA, FL, etc. I take care of my diabetic Mom 24/7 and don't get paid but a friend told me the state should be helping. She said to contact our attorney about it but the attorney's office is helping Mom apply for survivor's VA benefits but we don't have an answer yet on that. In the meantime, who can I contact to see if I can receive some kind of financial help in caring for Mom? I don't get any breaks, vacations, etc., so would appreciate help financially. Thanks!
I believe there are some Community Development Block Grant (federal) funds that can support modifications to make people's homes more accessible, and I know of ILCs in California, plus other agencies that do this, or that may be able to refer you to other agencies that do. The need is almost always greater than the available funding. You might want to contact your local ILC and ask if there's a housing modifications or assistive technology specialist who would know how to access these funds in your area. See my earlier post for the link to find your closest ILC.
My Mom ended up in ICU in January of 2011 with pnuemonia also has copd and emphasima. She needed around the clock care for the first 3 months home from hospital. She is doing much better,Off the cigarettes, still using oxygen and has a walker.My Father on the other hand has had 3 heart surgeries and 1 heart attack.,he has been trying to take care of my mother before January. My husband and I moved them both into our home and remodeled the basement just for them. It has the handicapped bathroom and all needed facilities.Is any of this a tax right off for us in the state of pennsylvania
There is nothing in these articles that are helpful to any one,
gave information I have been searching for a long time - and all in one place! Thank you, you rock!
Those of you who are asking about applying for payment for caring for a low income senior or person with disabilities might also want to contact your local Independent Living Center & speak to a benefits counselor or personal care/attendant care specialist. You can find your local ILC/CIL here: http://www.ilru.org/html/publications/directory/index.html. In California, where I work at such a center, only folks with full Medi-Cal (no share of cost) are now eligible to be awarded a certain number of hours per month in subsidized care. The hours awarded are based on an evaluation of the person's functional limitations on various ADLs (Activities of Daily Living). Providers must pass a background check. Some providers may even qualify for other benefits in addition to wages. Counties differ as do states, so that's why it's best to talk to someone locally. Another good resource on this might be your local SHIP agency, which counsels folks with Medicare (they tend to know a bit about Medicaid too). The statewide SHIP number - it's called HICAP here in California - is 800-434-0222. I do know of cases in which care providers were paid retroactively while applications were pending (here the program is called In Home Support Services), but not of any cases where a person could be paid after the person had passed. Also, although I work at an ILC, I am not a specialist on the In Home Support Service program. Good luck.
Hello jtmiller, thank you very much for your comment. Unfortunately our expertise is in eldercare and we do not have resources about how to be a caregiver for a disabled adult. I wish you the best of luck with your search. Take care -- Emily | Community Manager
Hugs jtmiller
i live in volusia county Florida. i quit my job in 06 to take care of my handicapped brother who could not do much of anything. he passed awy in the end of 09. i was wondering if theres anyway i may be compensted for that time. i put my life on hold. i insisted but during that time i had no money coming in to myself. ive already worked 40 credits from 18-26. will the government or state or irs backpay me in any way.i now have nothing and am extremely close to being homeless. i practicly am. im 32 and cant find work. too longof gap since last job i beleieve. please somebody help answer my question. r.i.p. to my lil brother. i miss you as well as your son.you are an angel
im 40 years old and i live in long island new york im unable to work because im a full time care giver for my 2 mentally incapasatated siblings and a mother who just had 1 lung removed. I need to know if I can get paid for this by the state of new york. If anyone has any informative information please let me know thank you so very much
Hugs Emily M., Jasmine310, jojo412
Hello lawton84, Thank you very much for your comment. There is a lot of great information in this very article about how to get paid to be a caregiver. In addition, please contact you local Area Agency on Aging for more information ( http://www.caring.com/local/area-agency-on-aging ). I hope that helps get you started. Good luck!! -- Emily | Community Manager
i live in nassau county florida i live with and take care of my grandparents i love them to death but its hard for me to work with taking care of them. I not trying to take advantage of the system or anthing i just want to know if i can get some money for taking cae of them so i can pay my bills and help them get the things they need throught the month that they cant afford because they only get a certain amount of money each month and i was also wondering if they money comes out of there check so if any one knows where i can go for help please let me know thanks
I know a couple of people that get these checks for taking care of a parent and the minute the check comes in they spend it on alcohol and drugs. And the parent they are supposed to be taking care of see them maybe once a week.
Hello mooncharms, Thank you very much for your comment. If you'd like, you can post your question in our Ask & Answer section, here: ( http://www.caring.com/ask ). Take care -- Emily | Community Manager
Does this apply for residents of GUAM as well?
Hi SpikeTDog, Thank you for your question. Unfortunately, our expertise is elder care and we do not have knowledge or resources about other types of caregiving, but I wish you the best of luck in finding your answer. Take care -- Emily | Community Manager
My step son has Huntington's Disease and has been declared disabled by Social Security. He receives SSI. I am his 24/7 caregiver at home. I am retired and on Social Security. Would I be qualified for caregiver payments if he is on Medicare and not Medicaid?
Hi omaoma38, Thank you for your comment. Unfortunately, it's not always an easy task to locate members. However, if you'd like to learn more about being a caregiver, you can input your location and find your local Area Agency on Aging ( http://www.caring.com/local/area-agency-on-aging ) I hope that helps get you started. Good luck!! -- Emily | Community Manager
This site needs to direct family members to the exact site/per location like the state they live in and what dept to contact to start the application. Caregivers are under alot of pressure daily and the financial burden is huge. YYouneed to make this easier.
Hello JohnnyMac420, Thank you for your question. If you'd like to learn more about how to get paid to be a caregiver, please contact you local Area Agency on Aging ( http://www.caring.com/local/area-agency-on-aging ) I hope that helps get you started. Good luck!! -- Emily | Community Manager
The answer is yes, if he/she is a veteran, spouse of a veteran, widow or widower of a veteran. The max benefit is just under $24,000 a year or about $1,950 a month for husband and wife.
Hi...I've benn takin care of my quadrapledgic g/f since jan.6 , 2007......i would like to know if there are any ways in north carolina i can get compensated for this.....or if i would need to get a nursing degree or what......any info will help.....thank you.
Prayers jojo412
Hello starchild47, Thank you for your comment. To learn more about how to get paid to be a caregiver, contact you local Area Agency on Aging ( http://www.caring.com/local/area-agency-on-aging ) I hope that helps get you started. Good luck!! -- Emily | Community Manager
I research these programs on line, but when I ask my local Welfare office about them, such as the one where family members can receive cash for caregiving, my local office says they never heard of it or don't know what I am talking about. Where else can I find out about these programs in my state of Georgia besides my hometown office?
I wish I new about this before I had to put my dad in a home. And when I was careing for him at his home I had Dors come in to with nurses to assese him and asked if they was any way I could get paid to stay there and take care of him and there reply was " there is no agency in Rockford that will pay family members to stay home with there parents " I thought that does not make sense to me, but they will pay for out side people to come in and help and most people dont want strange people to come in there hosue they want family members.
Hi anonymous, Thank you for your comment. I'm so sorry to hear about the difficult situation you are in. Have you even looked into in-home care? You can learn more about what in-home care is and even search for agencies in you area here: ( http://www.caring.com/local/in-home-care ). In addition, there is a lot of great information in this article about how to get paid to be a caregiver, that you may also find helpful. Take care -- Emily | Community Manager
in jan 29 2009, my wife was in ahorrible car accident thank god for sparing he life, she has being suffering every since. from the accident they had to amputate her right leg. i took 3months out of work to take care of my wife. at that time there were no income coming . thank god for my stepdaughter with her help we got through. now my wife never recover to good after the accident shes going through mental illness and her healthis declining. my job clse up last year of 2110. what am to do drawing unemployment and she gets ssd which isnt much. i truely love my wife and its taking a toll on me it would be nice if could get some assitance to me to careof my wife. i dont want to put her a nhome. please give some advice.
Hello ArtisticDye2Â004, Thank you for your comment. There is a lot of great information in this very article about being paid to be a caregiver. In addition, this Ask & Answer page may be helpful: ( http://www.caring.com/questions/can-i-get-paid-to-be-a-family-caregiver ). For more information please contact your Area Agency on Aging ( http://www.caring.com/local/area-agency-on-aging ) and see if they know of any programs that can be of assistance. I hope that helps get you started. Good luck!! -- Emily | Community Manager
At what point do we qualify for this??? Do my parents have to be bed ridden or just home bound. Dealing with a mother that has Osteoporisis, Sciatica Nerve issues and Emphseyma. My dad has very bad arthritis in his knees, prostate cancer, and beginning stages of memory loss. I took my dad off the road last September when I got laid off. They depend on me ALOT..from cooking their meals on the weekend, doing their laundry and food shopping and keeping up the yard, taking out the trash and etc. I can go out and work full time but I'm stuck betweeen a rock and a hard place. I feel at this point, that I should just take care of them and not rush going back, to work full time because God forbid if something happens, I'm running to them first.
I get this service in alaska. It has been my only salvation as I don't drive yet need constant medical and other services. I got hurt in 2005 and for me it has been a death sentence. You never miss the water till the well runs dry! I'm so grateful that I have help plus dignity.
My dad has congestive heart failure and mini strokes which effect his memory . I moved here from Texas. He gets medicare can I get paid for being his caregivier?
Hugs Emily M.
We are taking care of a sister-in-law that is slowly going down the degenerative path of dimentia/alsheimers disease. Some folks call it "the long good bye"! That describes this horrible afflection very accurately! It destroys your good memories of your loved one, destroys their memories, destroys the patients health, and also eventually destroys the care givers good health! Your world closes down, almost as much as the patients! For those of you that have the time please investigate politicians like Kantor, Kyl, Gov. Warner, Gov Kasich, Gov, Christy, Gov. Daniels, and the Congressman from PA (I forget his name as I type) et al, All republicans, and all openly bragging about KILLING MEDICARE and MEDICAID! If MEDICAID is killed, there goes any help you may justifiably receive in your lonely battle with some of these cruel diseases! Find time to listen to them, pay attention, and if you do arrive at the same conclusion that we have, vote them out of office..forever! Its tough to take on another mental challenge, but, you have to protect yourself, and the one that you are protecting! They depend on you, and we depend on help from our government! If we can waste $10 BILLION a MONTH on 2 worthless wars, we can find the few millions that we spend here at home on unlucky loved ones, who, by the way, are American citizens! God bless the caregivers, every last one of them! In closing please become aware, many of our medical population, warn the dimentia/alsheimers disease will within a short 20 years will be the #1 killing disease in America!
I am not totally disabled but it would be a great help to me to have someone I trust in my home to help me with paperwork and othe things. I already pay a house cleaner. Could this additional person be my sister who has no income? and is 7 yrs younger than me. I am 71. I've fallen several times over the last couple of years.
i have a grandmother at home who is very old and needs alot of care...my mother takes care of her and she wants to know if there is anyway to get paid for taking care of her......please let me know if u have any info...i also live in florida i dont know if that helps.....
Hugs Emily M.
Hi parentcaregiÂver, Thanks for your question. Each state runs its own version of Medicaid, with slightly different rules and coverage. To get one on one advice about Medicaid, contact a government health insurance counselor. You can find your local government health insurance counselor in our local directory: ( http://www.caring.com/local/government-health-insurance-counselors ). Take care -- Emily | Community Manager
I was told that in New York State you cannot receive payment for taking care of a parent. Is this true?
Hi shodbuster, I'm sorry to hear that you've been having trouble getting information about Medicaid. Have you tried contacting your local Area Agency on Aging for more information? You can search for one in your area here (http://www.caring.com/local/area-agency-on-aging). I hope that helps -- Emily | Community Manager
This has helped me some but I keep getting the run around by the medicaide office. I am the sole caretaker for my 96 year old grandfather and my 83year old father-in-law with dementia. My husband helps some but he had a wreck and is not able to do a lot including working. Since I cannot work outside the home medicaide gives me an excuse for unemplyment but when I ask about compensation they say try this office or that office Etc. Etc. I am not sure who to talk to next.
Hi merfreet, Thanks for your comment. There is a lot of great information about being paid to be a caregiver in this very article. I also suggest that you contact your local Area Agency on Aging for more information. You can search for one in your area here (http://www.caring.com/local/area-agency-on-aging). I hope that helps -- Emily
My 80 year old mother has lived with me since Aug 2008. I do most of her personal care, all of the cleaning, laundry, grocery shopping, taking her to doctor appts and everything else. I have been checking into getting paid for this and contacted our local Area Agency on Aging and they tell me they will do an assessment of her needs and pay for someone to come in and do that stuff but if I want to get paid I would have to work for an agency that provides those services. So my question is how can I get around working for someone else when I already do all of it myself? And I work full time and am going to school? I was a certified CNA but let it lapse because I drive a paratransit bus and go to school. I'm wondering if my in-home care of my mother would have qualified me to have my CNA certification kept active...... Any help would be greatly appreciated.
If you can afford it, speak with an elder law attorney because they know all about being paid for being a care taker and will draw up a contract for you....There are attorneys that come in to the senior centers and offer their counsel for free, so that's a good place to start....
I'm not in this situation but know of friends who are.I am certain they would appreciate learning about this program. Thanks Gfelto
This is what I don't understand: If you are blind, you get an extra tax deduction. If you are totally disabled, YOU DON'T get an extra deduction....WHY?
I'm going to have a hip replacement here on June 7th. Is there anyway that my boyfriend can get paid for taking care of me. We live in Pennsylvania and I don't know of any programs that would pay him for taking care of me. He's currently unemployed and receives unemployment but that's fixin to run out. I get SSD and medicare. I also want to know if there is any type of temp driver's license he can get to take me back and forth to my appts. We're both young, I'm 30 and he's 35. If anyone knows anything about programs in PA please let me know. Thanks.
Hugs Emily M.
My problem is a little different. My husband has Medicare.He has Alzheimers and possibly Parkinsons. He requires round the clock watching. Even at night,waking up not being able to distinguish between a dream and reality,he wanders. Some months i barely have the 35.00 copay for his eye Doctor. I love my husband and do not mind taking care of him but if money was available for doing it i sure could use it. Thx Doris
Hi... I was wondering how much do you think medicaid pay for 24 hr family caregiving?.. Im 23 yrs old and I have no job right now nor am I in school I stay with my grandmother round the clock, I have no help except for my older cousin that drives us to my grandmothers primary doctor.. My grandmother had breast cancer..and thru her radiation still I was the only one there! she has other things like high blood pressure, shes a diabetic things in that nature... she has very bad arthritis which keeps her from walking... I tried to get her a stair glide insurance dont cover that cause were not an homeowner.. Im tryna get her a motor scooter or motor wheel chair... so she can at least enjoy the out doors again, sometimes I just see her staring outside as if she was thinking " If only I could walk" :) but little do she know.. I'm trying! Thanx for reading! From ... Philadelphia, PA
Hugs Emily M.
Reading these posts made me so angry with our government, which is proving more and more inept all the time. If the Ryan Budget is passed in the U.S. House of Representatives, we can start kissing Medicare goodbye. Not that Americans have much help in the healthcare department, anyway. I pay my own insurance, and the premium keeps increasing; it's about to increase again on July 1st.. Lately, I try to stay away from news (not that there is much time to listen to news in a caregiver's life) because it is so overwhelming. My Dad, bless his heart, gives my sister and me a few hundred dollars on the months we stay with he and Mom (we alternate months), fills my tank up with gas and pays my sister's plane fare, but it's cut dramatically into our (my sister's and my) incomes. We don't, and wouldn't, charge him anything, but he appreciates the help/care we give them and tries to help us out, as much as he can. Our country is SICK WITH GREED for more money for corporations and the heck with average people. Capitalism to the extreme is killing people, right and left, not just in our country's war-mongering stance, but in the neglect of its decent citizens who've given their lives to our country and are not getting anything back. Dear God, if it be thy will and the will of the people involved, please bring the USA back into balance, and give understanding to those in power of the proper priorities, and also, compassion for its people. AMEN
Hugs biosphere, sdhIndy, parentcaregiver
i really would like to know who to speak with about taking care of my grandfather.... i am 19 and the only one available in my family to do so.... and i cant seem to find anything to help me.
Hugs Emily M.
Prayers Caring youngest son
Hi mgwinstanleyÂ, Thanks for your comment. Unfortunately, our expertise is in eldercare so we don't have any additional information specifically about caring for disabled adults. Though I am not positive which information is helpful for your situation, you may find this Ask & Answer page useful: http://www.caring.com/questions/can-i-get-paid-to-be-a-family-caregiver. Hope that helps. Take care -- Emily | Community Manager
There is no help through the area on aging. I have gone that route. You have to be living in the street before you can get help. I have been a care giver for 6 yrs for my 82 yr old mother. The system is designed to brake you. Its up to you all what to do. But "reassign" the owner-ship of all life insurance policies etc. This is to secure them from a state take over of care. It varies from state to state. But if you change the owner-ship of the policy with in three yrs or more. The state can't touch it. Secure your family assets before illness strips you of your own assets. I found this out almost to late. They were trying to push me in the state waver program. They would take every thing. So I am not doing it. I would be living in the street. Not going to happen. Go to your state, federal Senators and demand a Care Giver program by forced unemployment due to taking care of a love one. Yes, the government would rather pay a nursing home $7,000.00 a month for care. Family Care Giver $700.00 a month. Do the math for cost effectiveness. Answer that. Get freinds and fill there political offices and demand it. They don't like when I show up. This is the only Nation that you lose your own home taking care of a love one. And the state profits off of it. Sick.
The time has come for me to find options available to provide my husband with the best possible care. Your website has provided me with a great deal of useful information. Thank you.
This is a great article, but I am looking for information regarding the situation where you are the caregiver for an adult disabled child. I have been my son's primary caregiver for 30+ years and no longer work outside of the home in order to be here for him. Is there any information out there that would point me in the right direction with regard to reimbursement for caregiving for an adult disabled child? He is unable to live on his own (Fragile X and Cerebral Palsy) so as long as I am able to (I have health issues of my own) I hope to be able to care for him at home, but the loss of my paycheck has put a bite into our financial stability. I have been searching for any information regarding financial programs or assistance for individuals in similar situations to mine where it is an adult disabled child and not a parent that I am caring for but am coming up with nothing.
Prayers susiemelindy
OMGosh nelson8989 there are angles at work here.... I picked up my phone to make a call and oddly my internet window opened to your recent posting I have been caring for a friend who' has no one its a long sad sad situation Workmans comp has been a huge part of my head ach and a learning curve thats been well ....I'll say mo more what state are you in and can I be in touch privately never used site like this is that possible cuz I need to get back and assit him to bed he's calling for me ...look forward to Getting back to read other info here God bless all you caregivers and the ones we love and care for hope to be in touch
I just wanted to educate others to a situation I faced but was unaware of for many months that this was available...my husband was hurt on his job and received workers comp. After caring for him for I don't know how long I found out that workers comp will pay a family member caregiver up to $400.00 per week for a job related injury. Heads up everyone! Comp will not contact you about this, you have to ask them.
Hi anonymous, There is a lot of great information in this very article about how to get paid to be a caregiver. For more information please contact your Area Agency on Aging ( http://www.caring.com/local/area-agency-on-aging ) and see if they know of any programs that can be of assistance. I hope that helps get you started. Good luck!! -- Emily | Community Manager
Thank you for this article. I am the primary, live-in caregiver and son of my 87 y/o father who has Alzheimer's which of course has progressed. He has now had it for about 3+ years. I, myself am on SSDI due to previous End Stage Renal Disease secondary to Type 1 Diabetes. I have also had 2 strokes, but am blessed to have recovered pretty well. Being disabled myself and Dad's main and often felt, "only caregiver" (sister lives across the street), I am most days worn to the bone physically and mentally. I have chosen to give up all my normal activities which are of course dear to me. No one (family) seems to understand my situation and am almost always wrong, lied, cheated or stolen per my siblings (& sibling-in-law). ALL unfounded nor close when they are addressed about the accusations. Even my father, who loves us all, has made comments about how that's all they want, the mighty dollar! Nevertheless, my care for Dad is my responsibility as he and my recently deceased mother have done so much for me in my time of need. Being on SSDI only, my funds are nearly exhausted each month and we as a family, have always been "too rich to be poor"... very middle income except for my siblings who do work and are very successful. Many if not all of my "friends" have suggested having my father in an Alzheimer's unit or home, but Dad will stay at our home where he (& mother) retired to. Yes, I am a stubborn son and caregiver. Just call it what you may. You are probably correct. In addition to my disability, one of my conditions is chronic fatigue and I believe that most judge my wellness by how I look on the outside and the same for us all. My insides are running on fumes. Financially, I am on life-support and live literally check-to-check. I'll check into the recommendations here and appreciate the support. God bless.
hey my name is adrian perkins i live in kentucky i am taking care of my quadaplegic wife who is ninetenn she recieves dissability and we want to know if there is sum way of bein paid for caregiving
fergy89406, You should try contacting your local Area Agency on Aging ( http://www.caring.com/local/area-agency-on-aging ) and see if they know of any programs that can be of assistance. I hope that helps get you started. Good luck!! -- Emily | Community Manager
Hi fergy89406, Thank you for your comment. Sorry to hear about your situation. Have you looked into getting in-home care to help assist you with caregiving? Learn more about in-home care and find a service in you area, here: ( http://www.caring.com/local/in-home-care ). We also have a great section on paying for care that you may also find useful: ( http://www.caring.com/paying-for-care ). I hope that helps. Take care -- Emily | Community Manager
My father had a stroke Christmas of 2009, and was in rehabilitation hospitals til May of 2010. I had to quit my job and give up my plans to start a small business and move back home, primarily to look after my father, but also my mother, who is 66, Korean, 90lbs dripping wet, and doesn't speak English that well. My dad got out of the rehab after his Medicare bucket ran out, so he's been home since. He takes close to 24-hour care, which inhibits me from seeking employment. He gets paid VA benefits, as well as Social Security, and my mom also receives SS. In my "wonderful" state of Nevada, there are no programs in place to give help to those who take care of their loved ones. My checking and savings have all been depleted, which was the money I was saving up to start my own small business. What options are there for me? I can't get any type of Medicaid assistance, nor can I get any other type of benefit (unemployment, government, etc.). What the hell am I supposed to do? I'm 32, still in the prime of my life, and I'm utterly stuck. I feel I'm being punished for being a good son by everybody.
I have been looking after my father for over a year now. He had a major stroke Christmas of 2009, and was in rehabilitation hospitals until May of 2010, in which time his Medicare bucket ran out and came back home. I had to quit my job, as well as give up my plans to start my own business to move back home to take care of my Dad, as well as my Mom, who is 66, Korean, and doesn't speak English that well. All the money that I had in checking and savings that I was to use for my small business is depleted. Since my father takes close to 24 hour care, I can't seek employment. My state of Nevada does not have any programs that handle any kind of monetary assistance or payments for me to get paid to take care of my father. I'm not only caring for my dad, but also have to take care of my mother, since my father cannot. Are there any other resources for people like me? I feel like I'm stuck between a gigantic rock and an extremely hard place.
Hi anonymous, To see if you can get paid to be a caregiver, contact you local Area Agency on Aging for more information http://www.caring.com/local/area-agency-on-aging I hope that helps get you started. Good luck!! -- Emily | Community Manager
Hello everyone, My name is Linda and I live in Phila PA. My mother has suffered with a severe mental health illness for probally most of her life. Dispite her illness she was a good mother to me and my brother and we shared in caring for her after my father died because she roams and we can't leave her alone. Well My brother died last September which left me as her sole caregiver. I, a divorced independent woman brought my mother into my home where I lived alone. Needless to say this changed my whole life because that meant I couldn't even go gropcery shopping without finding and paying someone to stay with her. Well, three months after moving in she became physically sick requiring two surgeries and extensive hospital care. My mother is now home again but relys on me to do everything for her because she is unable to get out of bed on her own. Phila Corp of aging pays my Granddaughter for 4 hours to stay with my mother while I am at work even though she is actually there for 9, but the minute I come home until I go to sleep I am caring for her. I don't even have time to care for myself. As a result of all this plus more..., I became so stressed it was showing in my work and my superiors insited that I take a FML from my job and that is without pay. I appreciate whatever helpful suggestion you send. Also would I be eligable for financial assistance ?
Hi, I currently am my husbnad's caregiver for his home Hemo-dialysis. I went through the training and have been doing his treatments at home since December of 2010. I had to cut hours at work for the training which really put us in a major financial bind. Up until a couple of months ago I was working very little. I now work 40 hours a week and do his treatments (24hours a week). Is there anyway that I can get paid for doing his treatments? This schedule of work and treatments is really wearing me down and not sure how much longer I can keep this up? Where do I start to see if we can get or even qualify for me to get paid to do his treatments?
Hugs Emily M.
Hi Caring spousÂe49 and anonymous, To learn more about how to get paid to be a caregiver, contact you local Area Agency on Aging ( http://www.caring.com/local/area-agency-on-aging ) I hope that helps get you started. Good luck!! -- Emily | Community Manager
Hi caring.com, I have a question and I'm hoping I can get a little help as this whole state benefits thing confuses the ever lovin' out of me. I'm a 27 year old who is currently taking care of my handicapped grandmother and mother. My Grandmother is unable to walk completely and my mother just had surgery where she had 5 discs in her back fused so she has limited mobility. I've been taking care of my Grandmother since I was 13 years old, to the point where I was home schooled for all of high school. I was wondering, is there anyway I can get some sort of help from the government? She has Medicare and is uneligible for Medicaid? Is there any direction anyone could point me in. Oh, I live in California by the way. Thanks a million for any help anyone could provide!!
I would like to take an early retirement to take care of my husband. He has congestive heart failure and is in the hospital quite often with complications of his condition. The last time in February of 2011 he was in for a month at which time upon his release they wanted to send him to a nursing home for his recovery. I insisted he come home and he has improved much better at home than a nursing facility. I would like to know what I can do to not only get paid for being his care giver but also need some medical benefits myself as I am not old enough for medicare. Can you help?
Prayers J.K.L
I have been taking care of my brother-in-law at Mayo Hospital in Jax, Fl for about 2 months. I go there everyday so my sister can go to work. I stay from 8:00am til 4:00pm to feed him help change the bed. And anything else that needs to be done. He has a lung transplant and is having complications, what can I do to try to get compensation. I'm unemployed at the time and am not receiving unemployment. I was wondering if I qualify for any caregivers programs.
Hugs Emily M.
I feel the article is helpful to those who are taking care of elderly family. In my case my daughter is legally blind and needs a lot of one on one assistance. We receive SSI but that only covers so much. I cannot work because a lot of the day cares in out town don't have the people to help her with what she needs so I stay home. I am looking to find a program that will help me but most tell me that since she is only 6 years old I would be doing her care taking even if she wasn't legally blind. That is true but she would also be able to go to daycare and I would be able to work. Is there any programs in Illinois that you know would help me with this?
Hugs Emily M.
Hi anonymous, Thank you for your comment. If you'd like, you can submit your question to our Ask & Answer section, located here: ( http://www.caring.com/ask ). We also have a wonderful community section where you can get advice and support from others in similar caregiving situations. You can find it here:(http://www.caring.com/community). I hope that helps. Take care -- Emily | Community Manager
Hi mkc-help, To see if you can get paid to be a caregiver, contact you local Area Agency on Aging for more information http://www.caring.com/local/area-agency-on-aging I hope that helps get you started. Good luck!! -- Emily | Community Manager
My mother is still working but not making enough money to take care of my disabled father and also my mentally disabled aunt. Can she apply to get paid to take care of them?
Prayers A Son728
hi my mom is 71 years old and disabled,she retired from the school board,gets a ck from them and ss every month,after she retired her health started to decline,arthritis,carpal tunnel,cholesterol,diabetes,ostiporosis,and parkinson's disease,also acid reflux.She is on a great deal of medications beyond all of what she has here,and did experiience a nursing hm for over a yr and did not whant to be there-wanted to be hm with her family.my boyfriend of 8 yr's finally got disibility after 6 yr's and im still trying to get mine as of to date it's been 6 yr's as well,we both were bouncing for friends and the streets and motels untill he finally got his back pay and we got a 1 br apt,in that time we were going to visit my mom and take her out and it was very nice for her,she then asked if she could come live with us.I had told her we would have to find a bigger place and we did [ 2 br] but it did not satisfy the case manager who came out to see if it was big enough for her hopital bd,wheel chair,hover round,ect:and i personally thought it was just fine and my boy friend was exceeding a little more then we had planned just to get her hm.At this point we didn't no what to do and we told mom of this matter,she told us to use her money to help move to a bigger house and she would help in the bills to come,so i took it upon myself to be her p.o.a,her health care repersenitive,and now also her payee.Im beside myself at times along with ny boyfriend because he says doctor appointments,co-pays,medication's,ect-ect: we just cant afford everything,i do not believe in getting paid to take care of a sibling or parent and am very scared that if something would happen to her where would that leave us.So basicly at her request financially at this time am i doing the right thing? By making sure she has what she needs and her pitching in on rent and bills ect:
Hi takergirl, Thanks for your comment. There is actually a lot of great information on getting paid to be a caregiver in this very article. If you'd like more information, you can visit our Paying for Home Care section, located here: (http://www.caring.com/home-care-payment). I hope that helps. Take care -- Emily | Community Manager
I have been taken care of my mom for over 10 years. I lost my job five years ago and only received public assistance. It does not help my bills or food. I need some financial assistance so I can have a better life for me and mom. She had strokes, diabetes, copd, hypertension, cholesterol and arthritis. She is wheelchairbound and can't do anythin without my help. Please help me.
My boyfriend is 27 years old and recently fell ill. He has been hospitalized for nearly two months and is going to need constant care when he gets home. He is bedridden and has little control of his limbs. We live in Nevada and I am going to be responsible for his daily care. What resources should I be looking into to assure that I will be able to keep a roof over our heads & food in our bellies while we are both unable to work? Any advice you could offer would be much appreciated.
Hugs Emily M.
Hi anonymous. I'm so sorry to hear about your brother-in-law and mother-in-law's situation, that must be very difficult for your family. There is actually a lot of great information in this very article all about getting paid and compensated for being a family caregiver! I hope that helps. Take care -- Emily | Community Manager
My bro-in-law lives in his mom's home (in Oklahoma) and takes care of her, since she had a stroke which disabled her right side. She is on social security. He is only 50, but disabled. They have home health care come for her therapy, but his whole life is consumed by caring for her. He has NO life of his own. Can you point me to some kind of financial aid to help them out in exchange for the lifetime he is losing to help his mother?
Hi rose09, Thanks for your questions. If you'd like, you can post your question in our Ask & Answer section here: ( http://www.caring.com/ask ). Take care -- Emily | Community Manager
as a caregiver in home care is there any chance that i will have breaks and lunch breaks?thank you
Well good news...waiting on the hospice/respite to finish processing our case then Ill have a case manager to come here to assess things. Then I believe I will have someone to work here part time with me to give me some time to do things with the kids and I still get paid for the other half. I do not know how AZ works it but I am hoping for the best. Reading the latest posts i am sending prayers and those who are hurt; trumped by the system everyone gets their dues. I have been looking after my family for the last 4 yrs and have had a job here n there. I still plan to get reemployed but with my husband condition I need to be here with him. I have been dealing with caseworkers upon caseworkers. The latest stint is trying to get his doctor to prescribe medicinal marijuana for him to try because it recently got passed here in AZ. There is hope and their is help it is just a matter of circumventing and working with a system that has fallen apart and been corrupted by those that use the system for illegal reasons. I thought it was cheeky when the power chair ppl came by thought I was gonna sell his chair for money...lol I would never defraud a system that is broken. Just pray and have faith life can suck but it is also a challenge to enjoy the best and the worst. I will continue to review info and if anyone has advice pls email me. Again thank you for ur time.
Hi Robbin, To see if you can get paid to be a caregiver, contact you local Area Agency on Aging for more information http://www.caring.com/local/area-agency-on-aging I hope that helps get you started. Good luck!! -- Emily | Community Manager
Im in the same boat as all of you i am 57 this year and my mom cant cook or change her clothes by herself. As i am an only child there is only me, I thougt until a cousin decieds to come get and lie to me now she has talked her into getting new bank accounts in vegas that i have no access to and she will send me money, like $100.00 a week. My mother gets money from a trust and now realatives have there hand in that i have done this for 6 years alone, under so much stress my face has hives all over. Lost my car and now going to court to be evicted. My mom only wants to be arround people who tell her what she wants to hear. i wasn't envoled in the move they lied to me and had this planned on the phone with my mom who can not read anymore but can open new bank accounts with my distant family and their control. im lost really and heart broken thanks for listening
My husband is 56 years old and has Parkinson's Disease. He also has spinal stenosis. We live on the Big Island of Hawaii. Could someone tell me if the State of Hawaii has a "Get Paid for Caregiving" program? Thank you. Robbin
It was detailed and it gives you the place to go look for the information, it doesn't leave you guessing.
I am young mother of two children and currently looking after my husband who is very disabled; he has won his SSD but even then that puts a pinch on everything. I need help with the kids and him. I live in AZ and I cannot get help to get into paid caregiving program by the state. I am constantly stressed overwhelmed and burnt out. He has bad days and good days. Childcare help here is bit expensive but so is managing my needs for the most important members of my family. I need to get into a paid caregiver program here because I have no hospice here helping me. I have only been in AZ for nearly yr and some months. We moved here for the change of climate and to make it easy for him to do small bits of tinkering. Honestly I am about done in...i have no familial support and I can't get a job because I am needed here for him. I am in such quandary over this and I have develop an anxiety disorder over everything. I didn't want this and neither did he. The doctors do not know if he is going make it or live longer than this. I can't even get his PC to get me the referral I ask for him to see ALS specialist. I am running dry and I can't figure this out anymore. I need some advice and someone to help advocate the need for me to be his paid caregiver because I am his only family that cares for him. The stress of it all is bad on the kids and myself. I am not the same woman I was nearly 7 yrs ago. Someone please give me a guiding hand or even reach me on my FB page under same user name. Once more thank you for your support and any comments you may send to me. I will take all under consideration...right now my faith and my children are about the best things going for me. I need support * sigh and bows head in prayer* thank you Lord.
Hugs CaterinaMaria, Emily M., i'llgetrightonthat
Prayers dana.troutman, lydiawwjdcanpray4u
I am sorry I have nothing against the USA but this financial info means nothing in the UK. I had not realized your site was US based
Hi lisarfellersÂ13, Thanks for your comment. It sounds like you can get paid to be a caregiver. There is a lot of great information on how to get paid to be a caregiver in this very article. As for receiving social security for disability, you may find this page useful : (http://www.caring.com/articles/social-security-retierment-and-disability-benefits). For more information about financial assistance, you can visit our financial assistance topic center (http://www.caring.com/senior-finances). I hope that helps to answer some of your questions! -- Best, Emily | Community Manager
The Cash & Counseling NPO is now the National Resource Center for Participant-Directed Services
hi, i'm a disabled vet getting 70%va disability. I also take care of my husband who has alzheimer's. he gets a very very small medicare monthly pmt. ($7) and his strs retirement. i am hoping someone can answer and help me with a few questions i have. 1--can I get paid b/c I am the sole caregiver for my husband? 2-how can i get ss. disability? do I have to use an attorny to help me, which want a ton to help me. this is for myself. 3-what other services/programs are there for me/my husband? thank you so very much--lisa
Hi andy0100, Thanks for your comment. Since our expertise is eldercare it's hard for me to offer more resources, as I'm not positive what translates and what doesn't. However, there is great information about how to get paid to be a caregiver in this very article! You may also find this Ask & Answer page useful: http://www.caring.com/questions/can-i-get-paid-to-be-a-family-caregiver. Hope that helps get you started at least!! Best -- Emily | Community Manager
I've been taking care of an adult Down Syndrome sister since 1982. I do get home health aide services for her but often the ladies are undesirables and they change often. I am interested in this program since a year ago I stopped working because she was getting worse. I'd like more info. this could be helpful if were allowed to participate.
Hello, I'm from Ma, where we had starvous. This is a company that pay's you to take care of a family member and get paid $10.85 an hour, but you have to be approved by your Ins on how many hours a day or week the person needs care. I now live in Ga, and can't find any real help to take care of my two disable children and get paid for it. My oldest was my sons care giver in Ma. Only siblings and grandparents where allowed to be care givers, if you where a family member. I 'm so use to all the help and resources we had for the disable. I feel like i've went back in time here in Ga. My 19 year old needs help with bathing, combing hair, cooking, washing of clothes and cleaning of house. She can't walk long distance, she'll never drive. she will have to be taking every where she wants to go. She also has short term memory lost, and gets lost quickly. I need help with all of this due to me also being disable. My spine is fused and I can't lift her etc. If you know of any company that does that here please help with info
Hi Joon, thanks for your question. There is a lot of great information about being paid to be a caregiver in this very article. I also suggest that you contact your local Area Agency on Aging for more information. To search for one in NYC here (http://www.caring.com/local/area-agency-on-aging). I hope that helps -- Emily
My 98 years old grandma lives in NYC and my mother from California wants to go there and stay to take care of her. How could she apply to be caregiver in NY and get paid?
Hugs parentcaregiver
Hi tori22, Thank you for your comment. Sorry to hear about your family's situation. To become a family caregiver, all that's required is that you care for them. If you'd like to get paid to be a caregiver, there is a lot of great information on that topic provided in this very article. Another resource that may be useful for you is this checklis: 5 Legal Documents You Need for Your Parents (http://www.caring.com/checklists/necessary-legal-documents-for-parent). I hope that helps! -- Emily
My grandparents are both on medicare and are 65 my grandpa is disabled and is struggling, i take care of them as much as i can but my grandpa has just got news that he might be loosing his check that he gets once a month. I wanted to know what i can do become their caregiver and who i can contact. Please help.
Hi mrwells, Thanks for your comment Caring.com is a focused on eldercare, but we do have information that may help those in other situations as well. Hopefully your situation is one of those! -- Emily
this seems to be only for seniors. my wife is 58 i am turning 60, my wife is a leagly blind type 1 diabetic and has renal failure and on home dialysis.
I already checked with medicare in california and mom's s.s. is too much to get help.!!!!
Hi Zoe Mena, Thanks for your comment. Unfortunately, we don't have any resources listed for Puerto Rico. Since we are a US based company, most of our resources and knowledge are US based. I hope you are able to find the care you need for your mother. I also hope our informational site will be of help for you in the future. Wishing you all the best -- Emily
Hi My name is Miriam, I was wandering if there are any services available with in home care for elderly people in Puerto Rico, we have our mother which is now totally disabled after having 3 back to back strokes at the age of 80 years old thanking our Lord that she is still with us. But we have ran out of volunteers to help with our beloved mother. I was wandering if you knew of any programs that could help us with providing in home care in Caguas, Puerto Rico. I did some caring for her but I live in Mount Vernon, NY and needed to come back home to continue life at home with my family unfortunately there is only one of us that lives in Puerto Rico and me in the United States. Can you please help?
Hi Daddysgirl#1Â, Thanks for your comments. Unfortunately, Caring.com doesn't have any expertise in caring for disabled young adults, so we don't have any resources I can point you to. I wish your friend luck in finding her answers. Thanks again -- Emily
Oh yeah, I have a question if anyone can answer: A friend of mine has a mentally handicapped daughter (age 24, has the mentallity of a 5 year old.) Does New York State have a similar program for caregiving to help the parent of this diabled child. She is already receiving SSI benefits, but not much at all. My girlfriend is not looking to put her daughter in a home, she wants to care for her at home). My friend works about 3-5 hours a day , part time while her daughter is in day hab. If anyone can assist me , please email me.
I found myself in the same situation as everyone else. I have been caring for my elderly parent for the last 26 years. Within the last two years my dads Alzheimers progressed so much that I had to move back home to care for him. They couldnt afford LTCI (Long Term Care Insurance) so they would have lost everything they worked for. My mom is not really as ill as my dad is, so mom would have been left with not much. I was raising my 3 children, one healthy and 2 with disabilities, and I worked part time. I just couldnt keep up with everything so I had to quit my part time job. Dads drs apt. had me taking off work more than I was working. At the time he was on BGC for Bladder Cancer. I have two other sibblings but they want no part of helping out. Needless to say, I really couldnt work full time. My husband was a one man band. UGH! I just hope New York State passes this very soon for everybody.
I've been taking care of my mom for 3 years now. I can't work because my mom needs someone here with her 24/7. She has tried to get where i get paid to be her caregiver, but she's told i can't be her caregiver because i live with her & she doesn't need help. My mom can't walk,therefor, she can't cook, clean, bathe, drive, etc by herself. She has Medicaid & Medicare. She's been told that she qualifies, but when she tries, the answers always no. She has tried 4 times in the last 3 years.
All I can say is God bless us all. I have my mom, father and brother to take care of. My mom is on home dialysis. My father, cancer. My brother massive stroke, paralyzed and epilepsy. I thank God for my family. Never would I put them in a nursing home. My sister in law came with my brother for a visit and left him here with us and never looked back. How cruel are people to say caretakers don't need to get paid. Yes. Mom,dad love me and helped make the person I am today. A person who puts their family first. When your family member says to you "Please don't leave me, don't put me in a nursing home, let me die at home around people I love and love me". What sacrifices will you make? Will you get fired from your job? Would you almost loose your home? Loose your home? Car repo? Our family love us too, do you think they like seeing us struggling to try to make THEIR life more comfortable? Do they hear you on the phone making arrangements to pay bills. Will you bathe them, feed them, comfort them when they are in pain? I know I would do it with pride because of the love I have for them. I don't need money to go party. I need help making sure that I can suppy all of their needs and wants. Get them to the doctors, sit and comfort them when they are in the hospital. I was a Certified Nursing Assistant in a nursing home and hospital. I know how uncaring some of the people are. How rushed they are. How doctors talk to them or not when no one is in the room speaking on their behalf. I know how some people lay in their own feces or whatever. How some go hungry because no one will feed them. How lonley some of them are because their daughter, son, husband, etc. are not there because they had to WORK....Some people are so selfish until the shoe is on the other foot. Some people can take off work or whatever but won't because of their home, kids, car right? How many of you will loose everything you got to take care of the ones that love you and depend on you? I know that I will never be rich. I will struggle from month to month because I did when I was working and I will continue to do it until I die. I am not asking for no handouts. I am not trying to beat the system. If the government can help us pay to put our families in these facilities, why not give the money to that family member that is saving tax paying dollars by not using the facility in the first place. I know that there are the scams in everything but if you are providing the proof that you are doing a good job and attending all the needs of the one you love then why can't people see that our family need us as much as we need to them. I need them in my life because they make me smile. I want to hug them and love them. I wish that I they weren't sick. No one is in my bedroom when I am up late at night crying because I don't know how I will make it from day to day. Only God knows. I am a true believer in the fact that the Lord won't put on us no more than we can bare because if I didn't I wouldn't be no good for my family at all. Whether I get paid or not I will continue to do what I do. I know that the real reward is in heaven for all of us.
Prayers caring for mommy, caring for mommy, lydiawwjdcanpray4u
Have been out of work for months now taking care of my mom. Didn't realize there was a possibility of receiving compensation for this. Never thought of it actually. Just doing what had to be done. If I can receive some financial benefit it would help a little. Thanks for the info.
Very informative info. Wish I would of had it when I was taking care of my mom and dad.
I keep hearing people say WHY SHOULD ANYONE PAY YOU FOR TAKING CARE OF YOUR PARENTS? These parents cost alot to take care of if it is done right. They have lots of dr. appointments to go to. THAT TAKES GAS, PLUS, SOMEONE TO STAY WITH THE OTHER ONE WHILE YOU ARE AWAY. These parents if they don't have a good drug program need their meds. Who will pay for their meds (you will) now if you are with them all the time how are you going to hold down a full time job. Ok say you only work part time. How are you going to make enough money to do for them all that needs to be done? Duh! IS THAT TO HARD FOR SOME PEOPLE TO FIGURE OUT????? I am sorry but, until you are in that spot with aging parents, and kids to take care of a job to go to. PLEASE DON'T MAKE FUN OF THE CAREGIVERS! This is a BIG JOB. A loving job but, a big one. PLEASE TRY TO UNDERSTAND what they are going through. I hope when the time comes and you have to take care of your parents that you love you will do the very best job you can. I hope there will not be money problems for you. I hope it will not interfer with your home and family or your job. I hope everything will work out perfect for you and your parents. HOWEVER, that my dear is a dream. Things just don't happen like that unless you are in HOLLYWOOD. BY THAT I MEAN ON THE BIG SCREEN
HI BJ22, Thanks for sharing with us. I'm sorry to hear about the financial situation you're in, that sounds very difficult and frustrating to boot! If you'd like, you can discuss your situation with other caregivers in our forums section: (http://www.caring.com/forums) or ask a question in our Ask & Answer section: (http://www.caring.com/ask). I hope that helps -- Emily
I live in Old Hickory, TN. We don't have the beneits from Medicaid as other states do, except for Chattanooga, TN. which does not cover our area. I've tried calling Medicaid many times only to get a voive-mail. I leave a detailed message & phone number, but never a call back from any person. I gave up my career & have severe back pain to take care of my disabled father whom I adore, but can't seem to get any help from church family or my family & friends. They seem to have their on problems to deal with. Medicaid here is difficult to get help from. I also was told I needed back surgery from a orthpedic, neurologist, & of all peaple, a chiropractor. Medicaid please help my father, so I can help me help him.
ashmeyers: you seem to be a devoted mother and I applaud you for all you are doing to care for your daughter; please know that Down's Syndrome is not a disease....it is considered a condition so medically some groups won't look at her as "sick"....also a G tube is not considered a disease either....so exactly what is she on life support for? I urge caregivers to never ever allow a home health care worker into your home unless you are personally there. They can be abusive, rude, and yes, they c an help themselves to whatever they want....especially if your loved one is not able to tell anyone what they did.....I lost my mother after two years of constant, exhausting care and also trying to keep my job...I sympathize with all of you...but please be an advocate for the care of your loved one and speak up when you are taken advantage of.
Gave me some places to go for information and help. I didn't even think about this and you reminded me of this.
I have a 3 year old daughter whom is on life support 24 7. She has Down Syndrome a heart condition, shes physically disabled and a few other small conditions like a g-tube. My husband and I work almost everyday and night to take care of our children but can not seem to get a head. Also Ive been trying to finish my degree and graduate from collage. But its getting to hard and I'm tired. I live in the state of Illinois which helps a little. We have certified nurses that come to out house to help, and now that DSCC says that we take too good of care of our daughter and because she hasn't been sick once that our nursing hours are being cut, which means I am either going to have to quit school or cut back on work to stay more at home and take care of my daughter, but i am afraid we wont be able to pay our bills because we are barely getting by now. Also we have applied for ssi and disability for our daughter and our state says she doesn't qualify, which is weird because right on the front of the pamphlet it says if you have down syndrome you automatically qualify!Any suggestions?
There is several agencies to help elderly living in their own home/assisted living facilities.
Hi LorEll, Thanks for your comment. I'm very sorry to hear about you and your husband's situation. My recommendation is posting your questions in our Ask & Answer section: http://www.caring.com/questions/new Best -- Emily | Community Manager
My husband and I both lost jobs at the same time. We lived off of savings until it ran out. I started a small business and my husband started working for a friend until he became sick. He was in the hospital for 3 weeks and then a nursing home for 2 month. He ended up on disability. Then we found out that he had prostate cancer. He had the operation instead of the chemo. He ended up back in the hospital with 6 bleeding ulcers and 2 tears in his esophagus. Also very little blood flow in his legs. He has fallen more then I can count. I got a part time job but was lucky enough to take him with. He would just sit in a chair for the 3 or 4 hours while I worked. Then I was laid off. I've tried to do any kind of work but can't leave him home for fear of a fall. A few months ago he wasn't feeling well so we went to the doctor. He has cancer again. this time it's in his limp nodes, bladder, liver. I have to take him to all of the appointment's and help him dress and undress. I drove to the store the other day and came home to him trying to make it to the bathroom. The door was shut and he couldn't turn the knob because of his arthritis in his hands. His fingers are all deformed so it's hard for him to do a lot of things. I can't go to work and I haven't been to see a doctor in years. I'm tired. I need dental work but can't afford to go see a dentist. I have other things going on as well but can't afford to take care of myself because I'm taking care of my husband. I have worked my butt off all my adult life and so did my husband there has to be some kind of help beside the s.s.i. he is getting. Does someone have any suggestions? Please.
i have been laid off twice now within the last four months mean while taking care of my wonderful girlfriend who has Cystic Fibrosis, so her and I were both wondering if there was anyway possible that I could get paid for taking care of her here in Washington State? I've never thought about it before because i don't think of loving her as a job, but if I can get paid while I am going to school for respiratory therapy that would be great. If anyone can give some advice upon if it is possible an if so where should I start the process that would be great. Thank you for your time.
Hi RosieDelong, Thanks for your comment. Sorry to hear about you and your husband's situation. As for your questions, there is great information about how to get paid to be a caregiver in this very article! You may also find this Ask & Answer page useful: http://www.caring.com/questions/can-i-get-paid-to-be-a-family-caregiver. Hope that helps -- Emily | Community Manager
I've been my husband's caregiver since he was unemployed when he as 27 years old and is now 45, he has caused me to lose my last 3 jobs because I had to come home to see if he was okay.I have to help him bathe due to his lack of coordination caused by his extreme amount of manditory presciption medication for his epilepsy (Depakote 500mg. x4 a day, Valium 10mg x3 a day, Soma 350mg. x2 a day) aslo for osteoarthritis (Percocet 350mg. x5 a day). I have to remind him to eat, take his medication, take him to his doctor's appoitments, his everyday routine, etc,... Never once I have i gotten paid for being his caretaker. Is there anyway I can get paid to be his caregiver?
i think people should get paid to be a care giver!!!!!!
i have looked at each of the letters and it is soSAD what we are do for our country nothing! i lam 76 i in april and have Pars. my husband just turned 67 and is stil working full time at a college in ohio. i have a women come in mon-wed for 5 hpurs a day. we have no other help and that leaves me by my self evenings. husband is renting a room for $600.00 a month because it is two hours to drive each way for work. this would be on hi i ways and small country roads in ohio winter weather.we also have for each of us LONG TERM CARE INSURANCE. it is so ridiculous to watch him come home for the weekend only to turn around and go back to his work again! he is my care giver when he is home.
Prayers jfj2858
My MIL is 91 years old and has recently come home from NH/rehab after falling and breaking her left leg. She broke the right leg 2 years earlier. Until her last fall (November 2010) she was living alone and even driving occasionally. She lives 50 miles away from us and my husband is her only child. She came home from the NH 2 weeks ago and we hired a live-in caregiver. MIL cannot walk well and needs a walker. She is also in chronic pain and is taking MSContin for this. This arrangement is working fairly well, although we are now concerned that the caregiver may be an illegal alien. However, that is not my concern right now. My husband and I adopted 2 sons who are both in high school now. Husband works full time as a sales representative and I work from home doing medical transcription. We are starting to have financial difficulties due to the economy and the fact that we are spending less time working at our jobs and more time trying to help mom. We have driven to her house (about an hour each way) 4 times in the last 5 days. The caregiver is paid $130 per day. MIL does not know this as she would FREAK OUT if she knew how much this was costing. Husband pays all his mom's bills now as she is very forgetful and we realized she hadn't paid some bills and had made some serious mistakes when we took over her finances while she was in the NH). We are starting to consider doing the caregiving ourselves which would involve having MIL move in with us. We could really use the money and also the convenience of having her here with us rather than an hour away, but I'm afraid to make this transition. I will not consider moving our family to MIL's house. Would really like to hear other's opinions about this...
Is the money I recieve from my husband for taking care of him taxable as income to me. He is on medicaid and they pay him money each month to hire someone to take care of him. I am his caretaker and he pays me.
I've been taking care of my 97 yr old mom in my home for 7 years. She gets SSI and some dividends from stocks. 4 years ago it became appearent that she needed a home health aide present while I worked. I got some internal infection that took 3 years to beat so stayed home nursing both of us. Fortunately her income met all immeadiate needs. I'm anxious to get back working (self-employed) but need some medical help first (eye and dental surgery) and funds for advertising. My best option is to sell off some of her stocks to pay myself for services already rendered and then more when needed to pay for home health aides. Once those assets are gone I should be financially able to pay any difference her SSI income fails to cover. Fortunately she's healthy and takes no meds. She does suffer with altzhiemers/dementia and has been getting me confused with others long departed. When she no long recognizes me then I'll place her in a home. I just need to liquidate her equities and spend the proceeds for care giving before doing that for tax purposes. (think Medicare/Medicaid try to recapture assets that were given away before 3 years passed to qualify as penniless) I'm in Texas and believe the state will provide some assistance to qualifying elderly living at home alone depending on their assets. They expect family to help their own as for sitting, housework, cooking, bathing, etc. If relations can't or won't then mom and pop can get state help to be placed in a home. Ya'll may consider that option instead of beating your head against the wall taking care of them. Nobody can force you to care of them if it's ruining your life.
Hi NeedAssistenÂce, Thanks for your comment. The answer to this questions may help you find the answer you are looking for: http://www.caring.com/questions/my-mother-moved-in-with-us-at-78-she-was-a-great-addition. You can also ask your own question about paying for care here: http://www.caring.com/questions/new. Good luck! -- Emily | Community Manager
We need to find out how to get assistence in paying for care giving in the home.
Hi Melissa, Thanks for your comment. We offer free expert guidance for caregiving questions in our Ask & Answer forum. While our focus is on caregiving for aging parents, spouses and other older adults, here are two expert answers you may find helpful: Are there financial benefits available to a primary caregiver? http://www.caring.com/questions/are-there-benefits-for-primary-caregivers Can I Get Paid to Be a Family Caregiver? (http://www.caring.com/questions/can-i-get-paid-to-be-a-family-caregiver). You might also visit the National Alliance for Caregiving website for information and support for caregivers of disabled children: (http://www.caregiving.org/). Thanks again, and best of luck to you. Emily | Community Manager
I heard that I could get paid for caring for my youngest daughter.She is disabled and I can not work.I have to stay at home with her at all times..if anyone can help me with this.please do I have shut off notices up the butt and I don't know what else to do..thank you.
It gave me the information I needed to file for care giver of my sister. She lives in my home and sometimes needs my help in doing things for her. She doesn't drive because of her hearing, and eye sight. I appreciate this information. Thank you
doesn't sound like anyone is getting any help. may try anyway.
My MIL(who has Alzheimer) has lived with us for 4 years. We discovered a couple of months ago about a program through the VA (Aide and Attendance) for spouses of veterans. My FIL was a WWII vet and retired military. The paperwork is the usual (medical needs {their form}, marriage and death certificates, assets, etc,) with the addition of proof of military service. The time period that Medicaid goes back does not apply here. We therefore transferred her property to the names of her children prior to completion and returning the paperwork to the VA. You can request the paperwork on line and summit it through the mail but we found that it was best to request the paperwork and take everything to the VA and work directly with a counselor, This way the paperwork is completed without any problems that would require it being returned to you plus you already know that you should qualify. It also means that when the counselor summits it, the received date (even though it takes a bit to process) is the effective date. The only problem we have run into was that we did a change of address for her when the house ownership was transferred. Her house is in one state but she lives with us in another state. We applied in the state her house was located since we had to go to her home to find all the appropriate paperwork, transfer the deeds, see her DR. and attorney. plus when the time for nursing home care is required she will be in that state. When the PO notified Medicare about the change of address (even though it is a direct deposit) we were concerned. We called the VA counselor and we were told not to be concerned but if there was any problem to call her and fax and paperwork if necessary. This is another reason to work directly with a counselor. When we met with the counselor we stated that we felt that my MIL would need nursing home care within a year so the paperwork is in place when her needs change. they will stop payments to us and pay the NH. This will also mean that we can stretch out her assets before Medicaide is necessary for the NH. We do not know what funds we will receive for her care at home because that is determined by her medical needs and each state VA is different. We were given a figure for MS (her home state) of up to $900. This would mean that I could hire a home health aide to come into our home for two mornings of three hours so that I could get out of the house. My husband returned to work full time a few months ago so that we would have health insurance. He is out of town for 3-4 days and home anywhere from 18 hours to 3 days. Ironically, I can't get to the Dr. since his schedule varies. Her needs are such that she can not be left alone. Any money would be a life saver for me because I am so burnt out that, "The phoenix will never rise from the ashes". I feel as if my life has turned into the movie "Groundhog Day" only I have not found a way to perfect the day. Hopefully this VA program for aide and attendance will help some of your family. Hang in there while you keep reinventing the wheel each day.
Im so glad i found this site and more so this article! I've been trying to find information about this subject for some time now. It was quick, easy to understand and am very happy that you also included links to more info. Thanks so much for the help!!!!
Great information. I didn't know this was even possible.
Does Eldercare provide any benefits for relative caregivers?
This article does not apply in our case. My husband has Brain Cancer, he's 58 years old and I'm his caregiver. We don't qualify for any help.
Hugs HomeInsteadSouthBend, ladibug
Prayers jessicaaquino, sparkies
All of these situations are so tough, I feel for everyone. Unfortunately, the C&C program is a HUGE boon to foreigners in CA as they fraudulently apply for $$ as care givers when they are not really taking care of anyone and get money from the taxpayers for their deceit. Very popular scam with certain ethnic groups out here.
I WANT TO SAY TO TO TELL UWHY HE SAID WHY SHOULD YOU GET PAID FOR TAKING CARE OF YOUR RELATIVES?? I WILL TELL YOU WHY CAUSE I SACRIFICE MY WHOLE ENTIRE LIFE TO THEIR NEEDS! I HAD A BUSINESS AND LOST IT I HAD INSURANCE AND LOST IT I HAVENT WENT TO A DR FOR 7YRS CAUSE I TOOK ALL THEM TO THE DR IT WAS CONSTANT I HAD 4 PEOPLE TO TAKE CARE OF AT ONCE WITH 4 DIFFERENT NEEDS ! I HAVENT BEEN ON A DATE IN YEARS! MY BF AND I CONTINUALLY ARGUED EVEN THO I LIVED ONLY ONE MILE FROM MY PARENTS MY DAUGHTER WAS 10 YRS OLD WHEN THIS STARTED AND I HARDLY DIDNT GET TO SEE HER FOR MONTHS MY DADDY WAS DYING I COULKDNT GET NOBODY TO HELP AND WHEN I DID THEY WOULD GO THRU HIS STUFF .HOSPICE PROMISED THE WORLD AND GAVE NOTHING LIARS THEY ARE! I HAVENT BEEN ON VACATION IN OVER 7YRS! MY FRIENDS ARE NOT MY FRIENDS MY HOUSE IS A WRECK CAUSE I DIDNT HAVE TIME TO CLEAN IT ! I HAD TO TALK TO DRS NURSES JUDGES LAWYERS CNA SOCIAL WORKERS AND I COULD GO ON AND ON BUT I SURE HOPE LIKE HELL YOU GOT THE PICTURE! SO YES NOW I HAVE NOTHING THEY ARE DEAD AND I AM CRAZY AND DONT KNOW WHAT THE HELL IM GONNA DO FOR MONEY NOW! YES WE SHOULD GET PAID FOR IT! YOU APPARENTLY ARENT A CAREGIVER OR ELSE YOU WOUL,DE OF NEVER MADE THAT STATEMENT!
Hugs CaterinaMaria, earthie
hello i have been a caregiver to my whole family for 7yrs and i am completely exhausted.my sister died of lung cancer at age 52 in 2002. then i took care of my dad for 27 months nite and day changed his diaper and hospice ABUSED US BOTH THERE WERE 3 SETS OF HOSPICE to come there. you would not believe the HELL they put me and my daddy in.at the same time i was taking care of the two people my mother was elderly and not in good health.mama loved my brother and he is mentally ill. then also i am a single parent of a 10yr old girl.now at the present moment my mama just passed away in my arms nov 19 and i was all alone! it was horrible! my daughter is now 18 and thinks she s grown and walked off and left me.also i did get to buy some thanksgiving groceries and while my mother was getting worse my dads refrigerator stopped working and all of my food spoiled cause my mother went into the crtical care unit.so i had no thanksgiving.SAD SO SAD! I HAVE NO FAMLY EXCEPT MY DAUGHTER she dont care and my brother and he is mentally ill.then to top that off the owner of the house i have been renting for 14yrs let the house foreclose on and now i have got to move by jan 5 and i have no where i can go i have no job i am exhausted beyond believe.i ask i begged for help.this community i live in sux they DO NOT CARE!LORD I CANT GET A JOB AND IF I COULD I COULD NT KEEP MY MIND ON IT. THIS CAREGIVING JOB HAS ALMOST KILLED ME LITERALLT! PLEASE SOMEBODY I NEED HELP! PLEASE DONT TELL ME SOMETHING I ALREADY KNOW!THANK YOU PLEASE REPLY SOMEBODY KATHY N ALABAMA
Hugs parentcaregiver
Prayers earthie
I take care of my terminally ill ex-wife in my home. January 26 she will turn 48. She is also bi-polar. I always see that care giving is focused on the elderly and not younger. This is where I need help. She may have 1 1/2 years left. I'm going to try my best to make this Christmas speacial for her since she feels this will be the last one she can enjoy. She has no income and we live off my city pay check. Thank you for your time. I'll take any input you can give me, I'm exhausted I've been taking care of her for 1 1/2 years.
Hugs CaterinaMaria
I am the caregiver for my 39 year old son who has lost most of his sight from diabetes. He became disabled in October of 2007 and had to live with my husband and me until February of 2010 when he moved to another mobile home in the same park. He still requires daily help from me. I had to give up my job to help him and have not been able to go back to work since. He was awarded disability in Sept. of 2009 and has been on Medicare and Medicaid since that time. My husband and I are on social security. Would I be eligible to receive financial help as my son's caregiver?
My sister have been taking care of our mom for year. Each time we try to get medicare for her she is turn down . She live with one of my sister and we take our turn see about her we all work so it is hard for us so her grand daughter come and sit with her when we can not the six of us pay her for her time .
To Ramhemi: Your brother will qualify for Medicaid in a skilled care facility. I am certain you prefer to keep him home, and I understand that. You are facing the loss of your car, no income, no job, and I can only guess if due to this caregiving, you could even be ill and homeless soon. There is a limit. Do you sacrifice your life to save your brother from being in a nursing home? Do we have two victims then? I have seen many people have to leave their home for a facility. Sometimes it is for the better. Caregiving is dangerous work, and you could die before he does! At least if he is safe in the home, you could work and get your car back on the road. If you find a job, get back on your feet, maybe you could bring him back home later. In the meantime, the rule in the airplane is, PUT THE OXYGEN MASK ON YOURSELF FIRST--then help the helpless. If you go down, who can help him?
Your reply to my question did not help. I stated that my brother is om Medicaid, Medicare and draws Social Security. He has a Home- Health Aide but only for 35 hours per week (7 hrs per day, 5 days per week). Home-Health care agencies, as far as I have seen, hire only Africans (NOT African-Americans) to work as Home-Health Aides. I do not have a problem with that, but none of the ones that have been sent to my house to work those above mentioned 35 hours per week caring for my brother speak or understand the english language very well. This makes my situation here very difficult as far as my being able to get out and get a job to pay MY bills. What I wanted to know is this: Since my brother is on Medicaid, Medicare, draws a Social Security Check every month AND has a Home-Health Aide that is paid for by the state.......is there a way for me to be paid for caring for my brother during the hours that his Aide is not here? I have to be here 24-7/365 because a lot of things that have to be done for my brother the Aide either cannot do, or will not do. And then there is the language barrier!! This means that I cannot work outside the home, which means I cannot pay MY bills. My vehicle is permanently parked at the moment because the tags went dead. The tags went dead because I owe personal property taxes, that I cannot pay because I cannot work, and the Virginia DMV has blocked renewing my tags until the taxes are paid. I also have to worry that my vehicle will be taken from me and sold at auction for the taxes owed. PLEASE HELP ME FIND A SOLUTION
I live on the Big Island of Hawaii and care for my 56 year old husband who has Parkinson's Disease and Spinal Stenosis. Does Hawaii offer the "Get Paid For Caregiving" program?
I am 58 years this year September. I have had 2 back surguryies which have left me with nerve and muscle damage. Three years ago we were snow birds, and I got sick and doctor said no more taveling till we find out whats going on. It almost to a year of tests and specialist 2 enfrocologists. 1 said nothing was wrong the secong one took a long time to get in to see. By thayt time I couldn't talk, pain in the neck and throat and I had now voice. This endroconolgist said I had turmors on my thyroid and there was surgury. But this time my voice box was damaged and will never be the same and neither will I. I thought I was dying, I coluldn't talk and the doctors thought I was over druged, but was so weak I couldn't even talk. Finially the surgury, I was allergic to the dye and so they went in blind. They took out a couple things that shouldn't have come out. They said they cut them up and put them back in.. After that I was never the same. a lot of nerve damage and the voice never returned. Before that I had L4 rupture and they decided there was nothing wrong with me. It took 10 years of intense pain and bed rest, them i day it exploded. Still couldn't get help, I went to emegency and I was told I was a drug seeker. Even when seen the head of Ortho surgury at henery ford, examined me and asked me why I was there he could find nothing wrong. I asked if he looked at my MRI. He did surgury within the week and I had drop foot, the nerve is severed by the bone and the pain was unbearabale. I year larter, it happened again. This time, I was called a drug seeker and there was nothing wong with me. MY husband threaten the Dr. and he put me in to have physical therapy, but when the therapist seem me he told me you can't have surgury you have a blown disc. I was transferred to the hospital that sent me away for being a drug seeker. It was a 2nd 8 hour surgury, left me with drop foot on the right side.l an in a wheelchair. The pain is unbearable. I have went to pain chlinics and therapy. the pain never stops. Now i went incontenent. lost totale control. the pain which I thought couldn't get any worst went off the charts. 1 endocornologist said my bladder had fallen and I needed surgury, but i was in such bad shape I had to wait till I got stronger. the pain got so bad I couldn't walk and I am unranating all over my self no control. this doctor Dr. Law in Trenton said my bladder had fallen and it need to be fixed.. the pain got so bad i wasn't making it to the bathroom and the pain was awful....this doctor did something bad to me and I stopped seeing him and went to beaumount hospital Unrology Center, they saved my life. My bladder had fallen but so did my whole vaginal wall. There was no control and if the other dr did the operation it would have make things worst. I am now doing a experimental treatment. I have wires running from my spine to my bladder and around the siatic nevers. I am power by a pace maker, its helping contol how often I go and helps a little with pain. Sometime I wonder if I should be alive because the pain sometimes is more than i and handle. This doesn't even tell how awful this is on my husband that has had 2 heart attacks and a nervious breakdown worrying about me.We need help and I don't know where or how to fing help. Most of the time I don't know anything because of the pain and the pain pills i take. I love my family but I hate what I am doing to them. and the on top of that our dog our angel just turned 4 Neopolatin Masstive. He is the sweet most wonderful dog in the world, everyone loves him, just went to the vet and we just found out he has cancer. I would rather die that had my dog die, he is a great dog and because of all the doctor bill, oh yes, my husband also has had 2 heart attacks and is seeing a pyhcologist, he is a veteran from Vet Nam and has many issue and I am afraid he will go over the edge trying to take care of me and out dog and him selp and our kids. I don't know if there is anything anyone can do but if there is please tell me so I can save his life, and I wish someone could save my dog, he is not a dog he is my baby, he is the sweets thing ever. He will hug you and kiss you and when I or my husband are having a bad day he seems to know and does things to lift our spirts. i just lost 2 ferrers to cacner and 3 dogs before max with hip dysplasa. my ferrets also dies of cancer. I think my husband also has cancer or heart problems but won't tell me because I am on the edge, I don't know if this is what you are looking for but help would be greately apciated. I died in my maxs place in a heart beat he means that much to us. I love my family but I am tearing them apart and now our baby, It it much , i am getting tired and have to stop if there is anything you can do to help, please let me know. Pills are kick ing in so I have to stop I hope someone can help, I pray someone would help my dog, he is loved
How can I get compensated for taking care of a friends mother. Family friend just like a Aunt. I have been looking all over. Please help, We are in Georgia. She really needs my assistance. Her family is not able but I will. I will have to let some income go in order to do it! WE are trying to find a way that I can get paid and she is able to get everything she needs under Medicaid and medicare!Stroke/Dialysis Victim. I have certifications for a Caregiver. Cpr/First aid/ Current Tb Test. Current Job stats. Please help us! Thanks!
CERTIFICATION: Required by government and many old LTC policies because in the good old days we were sick and then we died in our 50-60's. They are still stuck in the old medical model and are requiring medical certifications "for the patient's safety." Custodial care is getting more recognized w/ our extended care for chronic disabling conditions. Long Term Care Insurance Advice If parent has LTC insurance, check w/ company what it pays for. Some policies pay for equipment and home modification that can help make the caregiver job easier--think alerts, reminders, bath stools, etc. Get advice from Claims dept of the insurer. Most will pay a family caregiver IF they are working thru and being paid by a home health agency only. Some newer policies pay cash and you can use it for anything. Start the policy claim immediately when they can no longer bathe and dress w/o assistance or are cognitively impaired. Even if there is a 90 day elimination, find out if you need to be paying something out each day for "days of service" to count or is it just calendar days. IF THERE IS HOME EQUITY: Reverse mortgages from the big banks is now safe. You cannot lose the house. There are a lot of protections. For some, the big benefit may be no more mortgage payment, freeing up some cash. You can get a small monthly income or go for the large cash out, buy an annuity based on the person's projected life span, and get a higher monthly income stream. LIFE INSURANCE: Maybe it can be cashed in, or changed to a living benefit. Do not drop it until you check on the possible value w./ an experienced insurance agent. Accelerated benefits: Some life insurance policies allow access to benefits while the insured person is still alive. This option is usually restricted to cases where the insured has been diagnosed as terminally ill and death is believed to be imminent within a specified period of time. A portion of the life insurance benefit is paid to the policyholder for long term care rather than to the beneficiary at the policyholder's death. Check with your life insurance company to learn if this option is available to you. Long term Care is a huge problem about to get worse. I am turning 65 in January, along w/ millions of other Baby Boomers hitting their seniority. LTC insurance works! I know it cannot work for everyone, but for those with good savings, a home to lose and who want their dignity and independence w/o being a burden to those they love, it works. If you can, secure your future w/ some kind of a plan, be it LTC insurance, the kids, roommates, life insurance w/ an LTC benefit; save and plan your future--and start as young as possible. The government cannot just keep printing money and we cannot, and probably do not want to, rely on the fading Medicaid plan.
The only thing that this article fails to mention, is that the state of Florida is on a wait list. They are out of money, and don't know when or if they are going to get funding again. Rick Scott said he was going to be cutting state jobs, so who knows if there are even going to be employees to come do assessments if funding opens up.
what if you are caring for a sick child?
I cannot look for work because I am taking care of my Mother 24/7. she had a stroke, Parkinsons, PaceMaker, Diabetic and hard of hearing. I am getting a little pay, but I heard I could actually get paid in the St. of Michigan, is this true.
I'm going to become a certified STNA , so I can provide home care to my elderly grandparents in-laws. Will Medicaid (or other agency) pay me to provide home care for them? How can I go about finding out who will pay me to provide home care?
I need to know if I can get a income from taking care of my parents, I really have to take care of both of them, my father had a stroke 4 years ago and is bedridden, my mother has a lot of health issues too, and I really need the help financially, it is hard for me to work a public job because of the situation I'm in, I had to quit school to help, plus I still have a son in high school, so any money I can get would help me a great deal. Please let me hear from u soon! Thank u.
Why should ANYONE pay YOU for taking care of your OWN relatives?
I forgot to mention in my earlier post, in the State of Hawaii, it costs ALMOST $10,000!!! a month to live in a nursing home, NOW tell me would'nt you want to be paid that much to take care of your loved ones at home??
I also take care of my mother who is almost 80 years old, I quit my job not thinking about losing my benefits such as health insurance (being diabetic myself) and am wondering why aren't WE paid for taking care of our loved ones, cause I know for damn sure we take better care of them than any nursing home would!! Also I do have people who say they'll help me out if need be but, reality check if it ain't your mother would you want to clean her up after she makes a bm?? Thats what I thought.
taking care of my mother who cannot bath or cook for herself, she also has numerous trips o the Dr and pharmacy. I have had to cut my hrs at work because without warnng my mother can fall, she has 2 disk in her neck that need surgery because they are pressing on her spine, which is why her legs fail her. She is on Plavix for 6 more months, so they wont even consider surgery until she is off of it for 3 days, I need financial assistance and dont know how to get it. She has medicare A and B doesnt qualify for medicade what can I do??
Everything was. thank you so much
My mother was in the nursing home and is now living with me. Her home and property is still in her name but she wants to leave it to my brother and me. If she would need to go back into a nursing home we would lose it. What are our options at this point.if any?
does anyone in the state of nevada knows who i can go to, to get paid for taking care of my mother, thank you.
i am a single mother of two and taking care of my father who is 73 yrs old i only get paid nine dollars and i dont get paid for leave when i have to take him to his appointments i just want to know or who to talk to to get paid for some money of loss of income from my work i dont make enough and cant get a second job cause my dad needs me to take care of him and to take him to his appointments
the understanding....to the all new questions that have started progressing in the past two weeks..I must continue reading......
My dad has esoughus canser stage 3 and needs care at home he has kaiser insurance..how do i go about getting paid to take care of him..He needs almost around the clock care an i fear that i wont be able to find a job that will let me tend to him..what should i do?
Ok I've read alot on the Cash And Counseling program, but it seem's that Texas is not on this list. I take care of my brother who is Mentally Impaired ---He is 56 but remains 6 1/2 in age.Now I'm 45 and have health issue and am filed for disability still pending. Although I'm capable of careing for my brother and his needs in which he needs regular supervision 24/7. I'm not capable of working on a day to day basis and attending to my brother's needs,This is overwhelming me as it seem's I can't get paid for taking care of him.He does attend Adult Daycare, but he get's home about 2 pm.There's alot more to b done after he get's home.With my condition's I can't work regularly and even a part time job is out of question.Reality is no one wants to hire people who put limit's on when they can and cannot work.This causes a termendous stress and trama to the family.Why is it I hear people getting paid to take care of there loves ones and I can't seem to find the connection to this.Is there anyway someone can please guide me to the help I need to become a paid family provider---I'm really tired of researching .Thank You any help would be Appreciated.
My husband and I were just thinking of down sizing and having more free time, then we find out my Mom will be needing long term care. So now we must buy a home big enough for her to move in with us,and we wont be retiring like we thought. If we should want to go anywhere we will have to hire some one to come and sit with her. To complicate things we are looking to move from Oklahoma to Tempe Arizona and no nothing of the state laws concerning those living on a fixed incomes like my Mom.Any advice would be helpfull.
My parents are not low income but they have lots of bills and also need my help. They can't afford assistance, what can I do?
I live in MN. my mother needs help at home. I am willing to help but have mortgage to pay. Am LPN and want to get compensated to help her. I wish I could continue without pay but my husband just died of cancer and money is tough situation.
Is there health insurance available for caregivers with a 1 year old child with a major heart disease and parplegic from the waist down?
does caregiver and health care assistant the same? and if i study caregiving in my country (philippines) can i work as a health care assistant in UK?
I take care of my aunt she is 85 had her for 20 years i am on disable my self but i care for her take care of all her needs she can do much anymore.Plus i clean her up all day from accendets.Is is alot . please help
My Dad had a stroke, I have to take care of him, and can't go to work, how do I get paid to take care of him?
My boyfriend's dad is on dialysis and gets some assistance to pay for his medications and treatments, and some of his living expenses. However he is going to be moving in with us in the next month or so and my boyfriend wants to be able to stay home to take care of him full time. He is not old enough for medicare and the little money he does receive isn't enough to cover what my boyfriend will be giving up in order to take care of him. I want him to be able to stay home and help his dad if at all possible, but I'm already working two jobs and we have a hard time making ends meet as is. What kind of programs are there for him to receive assistance for staying home and helping his dad? Any help would be incredibly grateful :)
I do everything for my 75 year old father who has Parkinson's, and my 71 year old mother who has some leg issues, high blood pressure and some other things. I do all the shopping, pay all the bills, take them to doctor appts and on and on. However, I don't know if we would be considered eligible for any help because people will probably decide they're not handicapped or needy enough. I have been unemployed for the better part of 18 months except for some temp jobs and a part time job. When I finally do get a job I had no idea what my parents are going to do. My nephew has no driver's license (and is a student, a father himself and working full time also), my sister lives a few miles away but doesn't help much, and there's really no one else other than my sixteen year old niece. I'm worried, but without some help I can't continue to do everything I do now. Nothing gets done in the house either, because I can't do it all, and my mother can do very little, and my father can barely walk
My mother is a stroke patient. Her Medicare is about to run out and in about 12 days she will come home from the nursing home and she needs almost round the clock care. We are trying to get the in-home care we will both need to make this work. I just turned 55 and have health issues myself including some emotional handicaps that have kept me from having a job and from having a life, but no health care. I am long term unemployed. Due to stress, last summer I had symptoms indicative of a mild stroke but didn't go to the ER because I didn't feel I could afford to. I spent 13 years as primary caregiver to my parents and could not have worked during that time. We lost Dad in early 2001. Over the past ten and a half years Mom and I have had living h--l on earth, one thing after another each thing as devastating to us as Mom's stroke has been. Over that time we have lost and given up and had taken from us a great many things and you begin to wonder where it ends. For example we have 3 pet cats and I just cannot give them up in all this yet. My mother's retirement income is all either of us have to live on and that ends after she passes on someday. Mom needs to come home not only because her Medicare runs out but also for her own emotional well-being and she needs the in-home nursing care to make that work. She worries about me and needs peace of mind knowing I will be ok for the rest of my life. I need health care, and I need an income I can live on comfortably for the rest of my life that allows me to support and maintain myself and my situation without my having to lose or give up anything more to get it. Mom and I have both lost and given up so much over the past 10 years, after a while you say, "no more." I also need a sense of security, I really have none at all. Because of Mom's care needs I cannot go out and get a job. All I can often see when I look at the future is absolutely nothing. For two years we have cried and cried for help but our cries seem to have fallen on deaf ears. Mom and I both feel desparate, I also feel scared, we don't know what to do or where to turn. How do we take care of both Mom and me? Please help!
It was all very helpful to me. I feel like I know nothing about getting some help for us.
I care for my dad he is a disabled vet. I am here 24/7, I just found out that i could get paid for doing this. I need to know who to contact. Can some one help me.
Hugs ptopaciosper
thank you ,this information was very helpfull for me. my mom has alzhaimer and dementia and i take care of her .
I am 35 and have MS. I have a lot of problem's including PAIN, balance, memory,extreme fatigue, etc. I also have a four year old. My husband has been off for the last 9 month's because of depression... anyway, it was great to have him at home! I finally had back-up. If I fell he was actually there to literally pick me up. He help's administer my shot's, Copaxone, and B-12 (pernicious anemia) I actually have a small laundry list of medical problem's, including bi-polar disorder. Yeah, he is a lucky guy!!! lol So, he is back to work now, and it is swing shift. Every single week his schedule change's!! It is horrible! I need help!! We bring in a decent living, but can not afford daycare or maid service's, and really don't want a host of stranger's coming through my house. I live in VA and I am looking for any info. on how I can pay my husband to take care of me! We know it would probably be a pay cut but I think we could manage. I appreciate this site very much because I already have a few thing's to go back and click on! But if anyone has any specific help advise please e-mail me at doozle1@verizon.net Thank You!!
Great article om medicad, what about medicare financial help for care givers?
as far as myself my job cut my hours work as a daycare worker the when who does the schedule changes it at last minute schedules me to work today at 1230pm today then just called me and told me to come in now so i have to go because i am not even getting 40 hrs a week or even close to these hours
when my stepfather died was worried about my mother because my stepfather did almost everything around house paying bills balancing check book etc asked her to move in with my husband and myself she declined wants to be independent can not take that away from her
my stepfather just died my mother is having a hard time paying bills she is looking for a place to live that will work with how much money is coming in right now has friend living with her but she does not now for how long
I have been caring for a 47 year old daughter that has MS in her own homw for 15 years she receives some help from the state but I give her Betaserone injectins every 2nd day. She has meals delivered 5 days a week but not on Sat or Sunday or Holidays. We are on limited income and driving back and forth the gas bills are high. She wants to say in her own home as long as she canThe state is paying Help at Home persons but they cannot give her injections. They say I am not eligible for pay because I am her mother ??? Just a little help could pay for gas. She falls a lot and I do have to go over at these times also.
Hi taken, This article is about how to get paid for caregiving. Be sure you read all the pages. :) Best!
i have 2 mentally retarded sisters that live with me. was told on several occassions that i can det paid for taking care of them. if so tell me how to do this. the right steps to get this started. please????
I am seriously thinking of quiting my job to take care of my mother with dementia and incontinence but I would need help but I have the home and all the love for her in the world.
I had to leave my job in febuary of 2007 to care for my dad that passed in Jan 2008, And now I am careing for my mother which has diabetes & diabetic neuropathy & can't walk, but coes have a power chair. She is not able to care for herself and would be in a nursing home if not for me and my commitment that neither one of my parents God willing would ever go to one of them places & with Gods help I have been able to carry on with her care. She is on medicare and has another health care insurance from the company that my dad retired from. It takes nearly all her income to pay the bills and for medicine co pay that the providers do not cover or should I say part of. Let me get to the point of this I am at the end of my ropes & really don't know what to do, is there any kind of help finnancialy for a person like me, I have depleted all my savings and have no other source of income at all. I actually spend many nights just breaking down and crying because it has become so over whelming for me. I have never in my life asked for any kind of help, all I have done is paid my taxes, and try to always do the right thing. If anyone has any ideas at all I would be so very Thankfull if you could share them with me. My e-mail is wahoo2578@aol.com Thank you and may God Bless you !!!!
Are there any programs that will help with this problem if not there should be.
There is financial help for those whom are taking care of a sick and terminally ill family member and elderly parents. I had to assume the responsibility of taking care of my mother over a year ago.I was totally unprepared financially however,other family members would not come forth or are disabled themself and were not mentally or emotionally capable of the responsibility. I had some idea as to what I was getting into but,what choice did I have? Other than having my mother put in the care of a medical facility for the aging I couldn't do that. There again is help. First of all if the family member is considered terminal which isn't only from cancers,etc. My mothers'illness is COPD,Parkinsons,Alzheimers.Since there are no cures for these and the end result is death at some point there is Hospice. Hospice is a wonderful help. With this program your family member has a socail worker who comes to the home for visits. These visits are not just for the patient but,for the care taker as well. A Hospice nurse is assigned to the patient with weekly visits to evaluate their health and a Hospice Doctor oversees the care and medications. Medications are at no cost to the patient or family members and are delivered right to your door by and through a pharmacy contracted with Hospice. If your financial responsibilities such as untilities fall behind the social worker can most likely present the past due bills and Hospice will pay the utility companies to catch up the outstanding balances. The next step is to contact your local state health care provider. Talk with them about the long-term health program. This is where the process begins to where you can begin getting paid for your services as a family health care provider. The process if it is your first time applying,can be over whelming however,try to keep a clear mind and get all the information needed or asked for by the department of Health and Human Services. This process has time limits as to getting all the necessary paper work and documents needed. Should the time limit expire befor all is completed the process will have to start over but,it won't take as long,as you have all the necessary paper work already completed. After all is accepted the Department of Health and Human Services will contact a nurse who will call you to set up an appointment for an evaluation of the patient. Make this appointment as soon as you possibly can as it is a very important step in the process. After this round and everything is approved the Department of Human Services will send you a notice which will list a number of long-term health care providers you must pick one. don't waste time worring about which one! as they all perform according to rules and regulations set forth by your state government. After this stage the long-term health care provider will call to set up another appointment for an evaluation again,to evaluate the patients condition. Once this is done you will be asked to chose a contractor which is contracted with the state where the payments of your services are made. You will be contacted again by this contractor whom will again set up an appointment for evaluation and you will have to complete a CPR training session in your home with the evaluator at the time of the appointment. You will have to get a TB test prior which you can get at any urgent care location,etc. The long-term care provider will discuss the alloted hours in which they will pay you for providing health care and the contracted company you choose to work for will discuss how much an hour you can expect. Don't expect to the long-term provider to give you a lot of hours however,you don't have to settle for the hours given. You can disagree with the hours alloted but,be prepared to write a letter as to why you disagree and you must be very detailed as to why you feel the hours just are not enough. It is worth it to disagree. By disagreeing you will still be paid however,only the hours first alloted if the hours do get increased it is not retro but you will be notified when the increase will begin. Don't expect to ever get more than 35 hrs. a week! you may depending on your states funding? I currently make $10.50 an hr. at 33 hrs. a week. Although it isn't much it gets us by! You can also apply for a food card through the Department of Human Services to help with food costs. Don't be ashamed to ask or use this service! You yourself if you have no health insurance can also apply for state health insurance through you local Department of Health and Human Services. Again,do not be ashamed to take advantage of this.I have to use these services and am happy they exist. Since caring for my mother 24 hrs. a day 7 days a week as well as the financial strain and stress I have needed counciling and have to stay healthy as well. I also need to mention contact your local utility companies and get on their medical programs for reduced rates. although it isn't much of a break,you will be thankful for the help. If this isn't very clear and you would like more detailed information or even need help with the process you can contact me at rhettbutler40@hotmail.com
I have been caring for my husband for the past 6 years. It is now going on 7 years. I am totally confined to home and caring for him. I do not qualify for medicaid. This is totally ridiculous because of how much income one has. Eventually I will qualify because of the high cost of medical expenses and his personal care.It isn't fair that one has to delinquish all their assets just to qualify for assistance. I am thinking seriously about divorcing my husband just so that I can get my life back and he can have the care he needs. It's not right for the system to put citizens through such a turmoil during their critical time of the life that is left in them. Let's be honest here. I know many of you feel the same way but can't say it like it really is. it's devestating to have to go through such a drastic step especially when it deals with the one you love so much.
Hugs grannylove2, EarlyBird, Lovinglylife
I have a mom that I have been caring for. For some time now she has had two brain tumor sugeries and has left her with out the process of speach and left leg usage. Since having radiation which killed good cells as well as bad she lost some of her functioning process. I left a good paying job to help her out is there anyway I can get some kind of compensation for this.Or should I say pay.
I Live in OHIO and took the STNA classes to try to get paid for caring for my father. It does not help as medicare only pays for home care if you have skilled nursing such as a physical therapist, and then its a very small amount. I feel for all of you in the same position. We only want to help but the loss of income is very difficult.
My wife and I are apart would love to get back togather but if we do they will cut her & her little girle check.The dougther is 11 yr. not expected to live to much longer. I am disable too just whist we could be togather but they fixit so you can't.
I absolutely agree the govt needs to quickly step up to the plate & make funds available to pay family members to take care of their parents & family me bers. Why pay a nursing home $6000-$8000 conservatively for care, that willmeverbe as personal ,loving, or caring as a family member. The govt & medicate would save a lot of money. This is a definite for health care reform . When we give up our jobs , because we want to lovingly want to take care of our parent, & willing to give up our job & income..... We should at least get 1/3 of what it would cost on a home. We ate doing every aspect of their care. Instead of the $6000-$8000, I would be glad to get even the 1/3 of $2000-$2650/ month : including not only care, but lodging, food, pill trays, pharmacy, Dr visits, baths, store shopping, bills, outside activity, visiting, game night, laundry, linens& bed making , dust, vacuum, scrubbing , assist with walking, bathing, all meal prep, pay bills, banking, post office , etc etc how do they expect you to stay working & healthy doing this second very stressful job? This needs to be addressed. Plus the govt would save a trendous amount of money for the new health care reform bill . This is aust & a no brainer
Hugs User_173026
These situations are all to sad and yet so common. My questions is this, what does one do when they're not old enough for Medicare? I have been caring for my husband for 2 years since his health has declined due to heart disease. We are only in our late 50's and I've yet to find any help for people our age. My husband was forced into retirement as well and we live on half what he made when he worked. We also have our grand daughter living with us and going to school. We support her with everything other than her Pell Grant to go to school. Seems there's no help for many in our shoes. Also, I was helping to care for my brother who now has passed away from a massive stroke. He had no health insurance having had to quit his job 4 years before he died due to a smaller stroke. I talked him into signing up for Medicaid here in Utah. After only 3 weeks from burying my brother, I received a letter from the State telling me I owed them $16,000 for all my brother's medical expenses. I was in shock....how was I to come up with that kind of money? I called and spoke to the woman who sent the letter and explained my situation but it fell on deaf ears. I was told my brother's house would have to be put on the market and sold so that the State could get their pound of flesh. I explained to this woman that the home was in no shape to be put up for sale but it made no difference. It took my husband and I 6 months to clean out the house, paint, replace appliances, redo counters and tile and finally were lucky enough to have someone give us a decent offer. It was only shear luck that this all happened as it was that next summer that my husband was diagnosed with his heart condition. Read the fine print before signing anything.
I resigned a job as a corrections officer in Texas and moved back home to help my Dad care for Mom...Dad died two years later. I have no income and have no idea where to find help? Social Security does not cover expenses for a month. Where can I find financial help/get paid for my caregiving work with Mom?
That's the state for you. They don't care a rats butt about people only themselves. They want their share of the money even though they aren't doing any of the work. and of course going to a nursing home would cost more money. dah! FOR THEM.... I think everyone should write a letter to our congress and push the issue to get paid for taking care of our parents that maybe they could set up a fund just for that, (and not touch it for their needs) so we could get paid without all the hassels.
very helpful article, unfortunately my state doesn't participate with C & C.
I just got off the phone with the Ohio District 5 counsel on ageing about trying to get paid for caring for my mother who has Alzheimer's. Their answer was to contact Passport. My niece's grandmother had that and when she passed they came in and took everything to cover her care while she was alive. Her father was her caregiver and was living there. They (Passport) had him evicted and they sold the house. They told me that I would have to get certified to take care of me mother in order to get paid. I have been caring for my mother for about 10 years now so how is me, spending more money that I don't have to get a piece of paper stating that I know how to care for my mother going to help? It would cost the government more money to have mom in a nursing home than if I would stay home and care for her. I DON'T GET IT!!!