Any programs that I can get paid as a caregiver?

Majority of grown children do not get paid for caring for their elderly parent, unless the parent is financially able to pay from their own funds. If a parent can afford to pay you, the parent might as well hire a certified trained caregiver… thus allowing you to keep your full-time job and benefits if you are working.

Check to see if your parent could qualify for Medicaid…. each State has different income & eligibility requirements that the parent must meet. If your State has such a program, you might feel your parent needs 12 hours of care, the program might decide only 5 hours. You may need to take some health care courses to qualify. And there is a question as to if the State will pay a relative if he/she lives full-time with the recipient. Be aware that there are waiting lists for these programs and that States have been cutting back on them because of budgetary pressures.

Check with your local Council on Aging to see what is available for Aides to come to the house for a couple of hours. Caregiver burnout comes quickly, in a matter of months for some.

If your mother has trouble Bathing, Dressing, Walking and Feeding she can go into Assisted Living on a Medicaid Waiver. The waiver would possibly provide in home help if it is ordered by an MD. However, Medicaid will NOT pay live-in relatives, they use a licensed agency under contract.