The ‘last Resort’ A Gofundme Campaign
Then there’s the “last resort” method my friend Sharon used to find much-needed funds to care for Rose, her 95-year-old mother: GoFundMe.
Rose’s health had been deteriorating, and early this year, Sharon began taking care of her mom full-time instead of working. Sharon tried helping Rose apply for Medicaid, but her mother didn’t qualify.
Desperate for financial assistance, Sharon decided to put up a GoFundMe crowdsourcing page. It included a photo of Rose with her beloved dog Sheba and explained Rose’s situation. To date, the effort has raised $1,300, which has let Sharon hire a respite caregiver for several hours a week.
A recent search on the GoFundMe site revealed several other similar COVID-related caregiving funding requests.
If you’d like to find out whether you can get paid to be a family caregiver, Lisa Gurgone, executive director of Mass Home Care recommends contacting your local Area Agency on Aging/Aging Service Access Point. You can find your agency by entering your ZIP code into the federal government’s online Eldercare Locator.
Once you find your local agency, Gurgone says, ask to speak with the Information and Referral Department about Medicaid and non-Medicaid programs letting family caregivers receive compensation or respite services.
If a family member needing care is a veteran or the spouse of one, contact your state Veteran Affairs Office and ask to speak with a Veteran Service Officer who can help you identify resources.
South Carolina Caregiver Support Program
South Carolina’s statewide, consumer-directed model builds on current research and best practice to support family caregivers, who are the backbone of our longterm care system in SC.
Administered locally by the ten Area Agencies on Aging , each AAA has a fulltime Family Caregiver Advocate who works directly with family caregivers, providing:
- Information and assistance in accessing existing community services
- Support and counseling
- Caregiver training
Eligible caregivers may also obtain a minigrant to purchase respite or supplemental services from the provider of their choice.
How Do Family Caregivers Get Paid By Medicaid
You love your parent. You want to give them a fulfilling and happy life, but they canât do it alone. Helping your loved one takes significant sacrifice from you. The emotional, physical, and financial toll can cause stress and anxiety. In many cases, caring for your loved one can become a full-time job. Government assistance for family caregivers provides you with the financial support you need to be there for your parent. How do you get Medicaid Caregiver Pay?
You May Like: First Home Buyer Government Support
Veterans Programs For Family Caregivers
If your loved one is a veteran, they may qualify for the Veteran Directed Care Program.
This program is designed for veterans who need daily assistance and for caregivers who need extra help. Veterans or their family caregivers are given a budget to manage their care and help them age in place in their own home or community. With the budget, a veteran can hire a family member or another person to provide in-home care and buy the necessary items or services to help them manage their own care.
The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs also provides whats known as Aid & Attendance, which increases a veterans monthly pension if they are bedridden and need treatment, if they are a patient in a nursing home, are visually impaired or if they need a regular caregiver to help with their daily activities, which can be a family caregiver or another individual.
The agency also offers benefits for veterans who are housebound. To apply for these benefits, contact your states pension management center and submit the A& A application form . You can also include evidence that details your loved ones physical or mental disability and information about your loved ones ability to care for themselves during the day.
Hhs Delivers First National Strategy To Support Family Caregivers
Today the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, through its Administration for Community Living, released the 2022 National Strategy to Support Family Caregivers. It highlights nearly 350 actions the federal government will take to support family caregivers in the coming year and more than 150 actions that can be adopted at other levels of government and across the private sector to build a system to support family caregivers. Family caregivers who provide the overwhelming majority of long-term care in the United States currently lack resources to maintain their health, wellbeing, and financial security while providing crucial support for others.
Supporting family caregivers is an urgent public health issue, exacerbated by the long-term effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, said HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra. This national strategy recognizes the critical role family caregivers play in a loved ones life. I know the importance of this first-hand, as someone who cared for my late father and navigated the challenges associated with caregiving.
This strategy exemplifies our commitment to achieving health equity and providing better support to caregivers. said CDC Acting Principal Deputy Director Debra Houry, MD, MPH. Providing fast, readily available data can help to identify and implement strategies to reduce the challenges and needs caregivers often face.
Read Also: Government Grants For Minority Small Business Owners
The New Family Caregiving Costs Due To The Pandemic
“We’ve seen instances where people had been receiving home care services prior to the outbreak and providers who weren’t willing or able to offer care during the pandemic,” says Alexis Travis, senior deputy director of the Aging and Adult Services Agency within the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services.
“The majority of the calls I receive are family members asking if they can get paid as caregivers.”
In addition, Travis added, “adult day programs have been closed during the quarantine and participants now have to spend more time at home and need care.”
My friend Linda can attest to this. In early March, Linda, who lives in North Carolina, had to fly to Massachusetts and spend two months taking care of her mom who has dementia. Her mother’s adult day program had shut down and a home health aide who’d spent 20 hours a week caring for her was no longer willing to provide care in the house.
Both of those expenses had been covered by MassHealth, Massachusetts’ Medicaid program.
Besides dealing with her mom’s dementia, Linda lost income from being unable to work for the two months. Plus, she incurred additional grocery expenses, since the lunches previously provided four days a week in her mother’s adult day program were no longer available.
The Purpose Of The Program And How It Works
Established in 2000, the NFCSP provides grants to states and territories, based on their share of the population age 70 and over, to fund a range of supports that assist family and informal caregivers to care for their loved ones at home for as long as possible.
NFCSP grantees provide five types of services:
-
information to caregivers about available services
-
assistance to caregivers in gaining access to the services
-
individual counseling, organization of support groups, and caregiver training
-
respite care and
-
supplemental services, on a limited basis
These services work in conjunction with other state and community-based services to provide a coordinated set of supports. Studies have shown that these services can reduce caregiver depression, anxiety, and stress as well as enable caregivers to provide care longer, thereby avoiding or delaying the need for costly institutional care.
Read Also: T Mobile Discounts For Government Employees
How To Get Paid As A Caregiver For Elderly Parents
Family caregivers are vital to helping seniors maintain their health and well-being in the community. As awareness and recognition of this important role increases, so too does the development and provision of supportive programs for aging Americans and their informal caregivers.
According to a 2019 report conducted by the AARP Public Policy Institute, approximately 41 million family caregivers provided 34 billion hours of unpaid care in 2017, the estimated value of which totaled $470 billion. Unfortunately, this care is commonly provided at a huge personal cost to caregivers, including lost wages and benefits. Many spend thousands of dollars out of pocket each year on their care recipients, often to the detriment of their own financial security and retirement savings.
Does Medicaid Pay Family Caregivers
Is your parent under Medicaid? You might be eligible for benefits. Each state differs. Self-Directed Medicaid Services programs give your parent the option to manage their finances. This can include paying for family caregivers. To find out if your parent is eligible for this program, speak with your parentâs local Medicaid office. The Self-Directed Medicaid Servies program gives your parent significant freedom in paying for services and goods.
Look into the Medicaid Home and Community Based Services . The HCBS program allows Medicaid beneficiaries to opt for local help, like a family caregiver, instead of being in isolated nursing facilities. The HCBS program primarily aids individuals with mental illness, physical disabilities, intellectual disabilities, and significant physical disabilities. The goal is to provide your parent with caring support at home instead of in an impersonal institution. Family caregivers may also receive other types of support like training and individualized guidance.
Community First Choice option gives beneficiaries the option to pay family caregivers from their budget. Your parent will work with a fiscal intermediary to manage taxes and hiring. This is ideal for patients who can self-direct their care.
Caregiver Savings
Also Check: Money From Government For Home Improvements
Can A Family Member Get Paid To Be A Caregiver
It should come as no surprise that becoming a caregiver for an aging or ill loved one can take a significant amount of time, as well as serious physical, mental, and emotional energy. In fact, assuming this responsibility can become so involved that it can essentially take the place of a full-time job. Often, this begs the question, do family caregivers get paid?
Technically, the answer to this question is yes, but the amount that a family caregiver can get paid depends on the type of assistance you or your loved one is eligible to receive.
Unfortunately, there are very few programs available that actively handle financial compensation for family caregivers. For example, Original Medicare does not pay for long-term care services, such as in-home care, custodial care, or adult daycare services, regardless of whether this care is given by a family member or a professional.
However, you may be surprised to learn that it is indeed possible to become a paid family caregiver under certain circumstances. Sometimes, family caregivers can obtain financial relief for specific needs, including respite care, food, services, and other goods.
Caregiving For Family And Friends A Public Health Issue
Caregiving is an important public health issue that affects the quality of life for millions of individuals. Caregivers provide assistance with another persons social or health needs. Caregiving may include help with one or more activities important for daily living such as bathing and dressing, paying bills, shopping and providing transportation. It also may involve emotional support and help with managing a chronic disease or disability. Caregiving responsibilities can increase and change as the recipients needs increase, which may result in additional strain on the caregiver.1,2,3
Caregivers can be unpaid family members or friends or paid caregivers.1,2 Informal or unpaid caregivers are the backbone of long-term care provided in peoples homes. In particular, middle-aged and older adults provide a substantial portion of this care in the US, as they care for children, parents or spouses.2,3 These informal caregivers are the focus of this brief.2,3
Informal caregivers provide regular care or assistance to a friend or family member who has a health problem or disability.2,4
Read Also: How To Apply For Government Contract Jobs
States That Pay Family Caregivers
Several states offer some form of compensation, benefits, or support to family caregivers under qualifying circumstances and eligibility factors. For instance, California, New Jersey, New York, Washington, Oregon, and Hawaii are a few of the many states that pay family caregivers and provide ongoing caregiving resources and support.
On average, many states with paid family caregiving incentives can provide anywhere from $600 a week to $1,000-plus in family leave support. In particular, California is a standout state when it comes to supporting family caregivers. For instance, the California Paid Family Leave Act provides benefit payments to those who temporarily leave a job to care for a seriously ill loved one.
Additionally, California employees can receive up to 60-70 percent of lost weekly earnings between five to 18 months before the claim start date, according to the Employment Development Department for the State of California. The state also has a unique program known as Family Caregiver Services, which helps coordinate services for respite care as well as in-home or out-of-home assistance. These services are provided to adult family members or informal caregivers who are 18 or older and provide care to individuals who are 60 or older.
Did You Know: Did you know that many states will pay for respite care? To learn more, read my guide: What Is Respite Care?
What States Pay Family Caregivers In 2021
Nearly every state offers some form of pay for family caregivers however, each of them has different criteria for this financial support. Making matters more complicated, funding for family caregivers can come from a variety of sources, including Medicaid state plans, employer-paid leave programs, home and community-based services , and self-directed programs.
Eligibility and pay for family caregiving may vary from state to state, so its best to reach out to your states health or Area Agency on Aging for more information. In this article, Ill go over some of the common funding sources and services that can assist family caregivers.
Pro Tip: Medical alert devices help provide peace of mind to both caregivers and individuals that need assistance with daily living tasks. To learn more about this technology, check out my picks for this years best medical alert system.
Also Check: Government Loans For College Students
Talk With A Senior Living Advisor
Our advisors help 300,000 families each year find the right senior care for their loved ones.
Medicaid: Those who are eligible for Medicaid may be able to utilize New Yorks Consumer-Directed Personal Assistance Program.
Veterans: Veterans should contact the New York State Division of Veterans Services for information on the VD-HCBS program and how to apply.
Other: For shorter-term caregiving needs, New Yorks Paid Family Leave for Family Care provision allows workers to take up to 12 weeks of paid family leave each year to care for an older adult relative who has a serious illness.
NORTH CAROLINA
Non-Medicaid: North Carolina In-Home Aide Services is a program available in North Carolina for residents who are not eligible for Medicaid. Family caregivers must be over 18 and pass state screenings to receive compensation.
Veterans: The Fayetteville VA Medical Center and Durham VA Medical Center offer North Carolinas Veteran-Directed Care waiver program.
NORTH DAKOTA
Non-Medicaid: North Dakota Service Payments for the Elderly and Disabled Programs are available to state residents who do not qualify for Medicaid benefits. Both require seniors to be disabled or functionally impaired.
Medicaid: Medicaid-eligible North Dakota residents are served through the North Dakota Medicaid State Plan Personal Care Services program. Services may be provided in a seniors home or the home of a loved one.
Veterans: North Dakota does not currently offer a Veteran-Directed Care waiver program.
Tax Deductions And Credits
Tax deductions or tax credits do not pay the adult children directly as caregivers. However, they can considerably decrease the tax burden of those caring for their elderly parents. The net effect is the same, they have more money available to them as a result of their familial caregiving efforts. For persons whose parents are financially dependent on them, the medical and care expenses incurred by the aging parents can be deducted from their own income. Read about medical and care expense deductions here. Another option is the Dependent Care Credit. For persons who must pay for care for their elderly parent so that they are able to continue working, this credit is highly relevant. Expenses such as home care or adult day care, in most instances, are fully deductible under this credit. Read more.
Recommended Reading: Sample Written Proposal For Government Contract
Paid Family Leave Laws
Paid Family Leave is a type of program that allows working individuals to take time off from their jobs to care for their family member. Paid Family Leave laws are not limited to caring for aging parents, one can also care for their children or spouses. However, caring for aging parents is most relevant to this article. The caregivers continue to receive a large percentage of their salary and they are legally protected from losing their jobs or their health insurance.
Most laws will pay the adult children for periods of between 4 12 weeks, so this is not a permanent solution for most families. However, the paid leave does not have to be taken in one consecutive period. Instead, the caregiving child could take one day off each week for many months. Additionally, multiple siblings could take consecutive paid family leave if they live in the same state, which when combined, can make a large impact in helping an elderly parent.
Unfortunately, not all states currently have paid family leave laws. While they are under discussion in many states, at present only California, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, Washington, and the District of Columbia have programs. More about each program can be found at the following links: CA, NJ, NY, RI and DC. At the time of this writing, the paid family leave acts have not yet been implemented in Washington and the District of Columbia. Both are expected to be in effect in 2020.
Are You A Family Caregiver
Do any of these sound like you? If so, you are a family caregiver.
- Your mom used to live by herself, but she had to move in with you when she was no longer able to manage on her own.
- Your child with a disability needs continual care, most of which is provided by your family.
- Your spouse had a stroke, and since he came home from the hospital, he cant bathe himself or get dressed without help.
- Your neighbor used to need the occasional help around the house, but you now find yourself cleaning and cooking for her.
Many people think of a caregiver as someone who gets paid to take care of another person. But thats not always the case.
If you are a son, daughter, mother, father, or spouse and you help a person who is older or who has a disability you are a caregiver too.
While taking care of your loved one is important to you, it is just as important to take care of yourself and the rest of your family as well.
When you call 855-YES-ADRC , a trained professional will guide you to available caregiver services. They can tell you how to find help locating resources in your area.
Recommended Reading: How To Get Fund For Startup From Government
