Are there any programs that provide caregivers with monetary help?

Maggiegal asked...

Are there any programs that provide caregivers with monetary help? After two years of caring and living with my mother it is getting hard. I have started working part-time and doing volunteer work to get me some space, but I need financial help.

Expert Answer

Depending on the state you live in, there may be such a program for you and your mother. If your mother has a low income and few assets (other than a house she lives in), she might qualify for Medicaid coverage of in-home care. If so, a program run by Medicaid in your state might be able to pay your mother directly for her in-home care. She could then use that money to pay you. In some states, this kind of cash assistance is possible even for people who have slightly too much income or assets to qualify for Medicaid.

In some states this program is called Cash and Counseling; in other states a similar program may have another name. Normally, Medicaid pays for home care provided through a certified home care agency. But this special program directly pays the person in need of care the same amount Medicaid would pay an aide from a home care agency. The person needing care can spend these funds on anyone she chooses to take care of her. If your mother qualifies, she can also use some of the money to make home improvements for safety or comfort, or to buy personal care items.

All this depends on your state offering this kind of Cash and Counseling or similar program. To find out more about these cash assistance programs, go to the page on this site called How to Get Paid for Being Your Parent's Caregiver. You can get information about your particular state's Medicaid program, and can help your mother apply for Medicaid and a cash assistance program, by contacting 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 online you can go to any search engine and enter the word Medicaid and the name of your state.