How Can Caregivers Get Paid?
July 19, 2016
There’s no denying that caregiving is a full-time job, so it makes sense that instituting some form of caregiver pay would be only fair. While the government has been making headway in acknowledging the important role that caregivers play in American families, there is also a long road ahead to recognizing the full contribution of family caregivers.
In the meantime, caregivers can get paid – even though the options are few and the processes can often be complicated.
How Can Caregivers Get Paid?
There are several programs family caregivers can take advantage of in order to get paid for caregiving.
Structured Family Caregiver Program
The Structured Family Caregiving program is only available in a few states across the country currently, but they are trying to expand nationally. The program is run by an organization called Caregiver Homes, and aims to help family caregivers of Medicaid recipients receive financial assistance and access to additional caregiver resources. Participation in this program requires a referral from your local Agency on Aging.
Long-term Care Insurance
Long-term care insurance has become increasingly popular in recent years, serving as a failsafe from running out of money for medical needs as you age. Certain long-term care insurance plans offer payment options for a family caregiver who does not live in your home.
Veteran’s Benefits
There are many resources available to caregivers and spouses of Veterans, including financial assistance. The VA Improved Pension was established to help aging vets and there are three different tiers of financial aid they can receive based on income and level of care. For those who require a significant amount of daily help, there is a financial stipend called Aid & Attendance, which can provide up to $1,788 per month to Veterans and their spouses to aid with caregiving needs.
A Personal Arrangement
Since you provide your loved one with hours of unpaid care, it might be worth discussing with them the idea of paying you some sort of stipend. Whether it’s opening them up to the idea of paying rent to live with you, or pointing out that they would be paying a lot more to have a professional caregiver come to the house, it could be worth it to show them the value of the services you are providing for them.
Next Steps
If you are still confused and thinking, “can a family member get paid for caregiving?” there are additional resources you can use to research this topic on your own, including:
https://www.payingforseniorcare.com/longtermcare/find_aging_agencies_adrc_aaa.html
https://www.medicaid.gov/chip/state-program-information/index.html
http://www.aoa.acl.gov/AoA_Programs/HCLTC/Caregiver/index.aspx
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