Can I Get Paid to Be a Family Caregiver?
It's possible to get regular payments for providing care for a housebound family member, depending on the family member's income and assets, need for care, and the state he or she lives in. Public assistance programs in many states can provide payment directly to a low-income person who is determined to need in-home care. The person who receives this payment may use it to pay a relative, or anyone else of that person's choosing, to provide care. The care can be provided in the home of either the caregiver or the person who needs care.
This type of direct payment for in-home care comes from a program often called Cash and Counseling (though it has different names in different states). It is usually run through the state's Medicaid program. If your housebound family member has low income and few assets other than a home, he or she might qualify for Medicaid coverage of in-home care.
Normally, Medicaid would provide that kind of care through a certified home care agency. But these special programs instead directly pay the person needing care -- the payment is same amount Medicaid would pay an aide from a home care agency. The person receiving this payment may turn around and use it to pay a family member, or anyone else, to provide the in-home care. In many programs, the money may also be used to make home improvements for safety or comfort, or to buy personal care items.
To learn more about these programs -- only some states have them -- go to the page on this site called How to Get Paid for Being Your Parent's Caregiver. You can help your family member apply for this assistance program, if your state has one, at a local Medicaid office. To find the local Medicaid office near you, contact the Eldercare Locator by phone toll-free at (800) 677-1116. Or go online to any search engine and type in Medicaid and the name of your state.
GREAT QUESTION! IT WOULD MAKE SO MUCH SENSE TO HAVE A PROGRAM THAT THE GOVT PAID FOR, THAT LKEPT A LOVED ONE AT HOME INSTEAD OF IN A SNAKE PIT. iMAGINE, IF YOU HAD A PARENT WHO WAS TERMINALLY ILL; AND MY P.I.T.S. PROGRAM EXISTED, [ PITS= PIE-IN-THE-SKY-]:AND
1. ASSUME AMERICANS WERE FREE OF FRAUD AND DON'T LIE.
2. IF YOU JUST FILED A TAX RETURN FOR THE PRIOR YEAR [REGARDLESS OF WHETHER OR NOT THE TAX WAS PAID, .JUST FILED IS ENOUGH, AND U
3. YOU HAD A PARENT WHO WAS CERTIFIED BY A GOV'T MD AS BEING UNABLE TO CARE FOR HER/HIMSELF; AND U CERTIFIED THAT YOU COULD PROVIDE SHELTER, FOOD, MEDS ETC, THEN YOFOR THEW PITS!! AND ENTITLED TO BE REIMBURSED FOR ALL $$ ACTUALLY SPENT PLUS AN AMOUNT FOR RENT - ADJUSTED FOR WHERE YOU LIVE- AND A % FOR FOOD, PLUS $100.00 PER MONTH CASH FOR STUFF NOT ITEMIZED...
I WOULD BET MY LIFE THAT THE TOTAL COST TO THE FED GOVT WOULD BE BILLIONS LESS THAN THE COST OF BEING AT WAR IN IRAQ AND AFGANSTAN. AND WHILE WE WOULD BE PUTTING SOME PEOPLE OUT OF WORK, THEY WOULD BE RESORBED BY THE REALITY THAT THEY NEEDED TO RETRAIN AND TRANSFER THEIR SKILLS...ETC
SURE THIS IS FILLED WITH PROBLEMS BUT LET'S SEE IF WE CAN MAKE SOMETHBING POSITIVE FROM IT. INSTEAD OF SHOOTING IT DOWN INSTANTLY. INSTEAD OF DOING THAT, I WOULD LOVE TO SEE YOU READERS, TAKE IT APART AND BUILD IT UP, PART BY PART. AT LEAST JUST TRY TO DO THAT FOR AN HOUR...I;'D BET WEE WOULD BE AMAZED AT THE RESULT...
The above expert answer is pretty good. But there is another angle here that you might not have thought of. That is veterans benefits. If you are caring for a parent that is a veteran there are even more benefits available. Check out this story for more info.
Good Luck,
Bill
There's more than one way to be paid. In the District of Columbia, Medicaid will not put a lien on a house where a family member is living there too and providing home health care, even if they are receiving Medicaid assistance with paying home health aides.
Another way is to deed the house to the caretaking child in exchange for lifetime care. This document would need to be drafted carefully, but definitely can be done. The key to this method of compensation is to alert all hopeful beneficiaries to the transaction so there is no fighting later.
Christine Axsmith, Esq.
www.Axsmith.net
Another possibility exists, if either of your parents qualify. There is a program offered through the Veterans' Administration for veterans and their spouses (whether the eligible veteran is living or not) - IF the veteran qualifies. An eligible veteran may qualify for Pension if s/he served at least one day during a declared war (regardless of whether or not s/he served in combat). An additional "Aid and Attendance" benefit is available if the veteran is disabled or needs custodial care, and children can be compensated to provide bonafide care to the veteran. Consult your local VA office for more information. However, beware - many local offices do not provide much information for this benefit - be sure to dig for the facts.
My mom isn't a veteran nor was my deceased father. I really wish there was something out there that would help me help her without putting my own family's finances at risk. I can't work, due to looking out for her. She refuses in home health care from others. I would love feedback. The info listed above isn't much to go on if you aren't a veteran. Thanks.
Washington State has a program called Community Options Porgram Entry System (COPES) for info the application process and to see if you or your loved one qualifys call 18004223263. But this is only for washington state residents.
To be a paid caregiver, you can not be the spouse of the person needing care. Children and siblings of the one needing care that are over the age of 21 and in many cases, parents of children with disabilites can get paid under this program for doing what they normally do for the child/person needing care. I don't know if other states have this type of program, but Washington State does.
Okay, so what about if your loved one only has Medicare...this is where I always hit a road block...UGH!!
Jamie, Does your mother get Social Security? Your mother can help pay your rent and for food and other misc. things like gas for taking her to the doctors. That is if she is living with you. You also can write up an agreement stating she is going to pay you X amount per week or month and in return you will list what services you are providing. Example: cooking, bathing, medication, driving her to doctor appointments, taking her to social events, writing out her bills and whatever else you both agree on. This is legal when you have given up your employment to care for her. You will have to claim this on your tax return. Also, I saw above someone told you about Cash and Counseling. In Florida it is call Home Instead Senior Care. If she lives on a low income she may qualify for this program and they will send her the money to pay whoever she chooses to help with her needed care. In this case that would be you. Some of that money can also be used to redo your home to make it safer for her. Example: hand rails in the tub or other needs for the home to help her. I am not an expert but going through this myself and have made numerous contacts. You can always pay a lawyer to write up the agreement so you are sure it is legal. Because, if she ends up in a nursing home they will go back up to 5 yrs. and will want you to account for the money that was paid out. The agreement is all you need. You don't have to account for what you did with the money you were paid. Just where large amounts of her money was spent.
If I'm not writing this so you can understand it go to search on the internet and type in "Getting paid to be the caregiver for a Parent." Good luck!
Thanks, Zosh. It's been 2 years now, she's still here with us and doing well, considering. I still haven't found a way to supplement my financial loss, but we are making it work. Yes, she does get social security, but it's not a lot. Mainly, it pays for her meds and a few bills she still has to pay from when she was living on her own. We do what we can and that's all we can do at this time. She is getting somewhat worse in her condition and I have a battle on my hands as family members want to have her put in a nursing home. I will NOT allow that unless I simply cannot physically take care of her anymore. I am 32, with a husband and 4 children ages 11 to 4. I know with her condition that this won't be a permanent arrangement, but for her I hope to make whatever time she has left as comfortable and familiar as I can.
i am very interested in finding out how to get paid for caring for my girlfriend who has been bed riddeen for the last five years. i made a promise that i would not put her in a nursing home and that i would take care of her at home. i have experience as a cna and know most of the things to keep her safe and healthy. (range of motion, bed sores, walking with a gait belt, medicine promptness, healthy eating etc...) but that leaves me with no income at all and i've gone deeper in debt with no future of any certainty. i've been with my girl for sixteen years and at my age (61) i won't even have a place to live when time comes. so yes i need help with learning how to get some kind of cash flow.
If you live in the state of Pennsylvania-there is a program under Medical Assistance for different ages from 18-59 and 60+ depending on medical necessity and financial assests. If your doctor determines that you are Nursing Home Eligible, but your loved one decides to remain in the home. The program in PA is called Personal Assistance Services or "PAS program. In this case, a family member, friend or neighbor that the consumer wishes to hire as their attendant, they can be paid through a Fiscal Employee Agent Company. At the required taxes and Worker's Compensation Insurance is taken out and paychecks are administered through the Fiscal Employee Agent company. The programs are administered throught either the Area Agency on Aging in the county that the patient resides for people 60 years or older or for patients 18-59 years old through contacting Pennsylvania's Independent Enrollment Broker Maximus at 877-550-4227. The only exception to caregivers being paid are the patient's spouse or Power of Attorney(POA). These numbers are also used if you want to make a referral for home care services for a loved one and you want to have a skilled home care provider assist you with home care needs
Can i keep my nurses license current as long as i am caring for my husband in our home, how do i do it?
If you live in calif and get midi-cal, they have program called IHSS (in home supportive services) You can choose your own homecare worker or they will provide one for you if you don't have anyone. My grand-daughter is my homecare worker. Its usually around 40 hours they pay for a month at about $9 or $10 an hour. They are paid to clean house,shop, prepare meals, help with personal care among other things.
