I live in Wisconsin and would have the option to get paid for taking care of my mom if I wanted it.
First, it is something that is offered through the county. The program is called Family Care and is not yet in all counties in the state. Call your local department on aging to ask (I live in Milwaukee county).
Then you have to apply and be accepted. If your step-father qualifies for Medicaid, then he will probably quality for Family Care. Depending on his income, there could be a fee. Basically, we pay them mom's Medicaid spend down amount every month and then they pay for the caregivers, respite, etc.
Once you are in the program, you are assigned a case management worker who works with you to determine your step-father's needs. IF they determine that he needs a caregiver, they figure out how many hours and that is what they pay for. They have to justify it - companionship doesn't count. I would love to have someone with mom 8 hours a day, but we only have justification for 4. But that is better than none!
Then you have the choice of picking one of their agencies to work with or having someone you know be the caregiver (yourself, a friend, family member). If you want to do it, I THINK you are required to get some training. Then you actually get "hired" by one of the agencies and paid for your time through them. I'm not sure of the details, since we didn't go that route.
It took us a few months to get mom on the program, but once we did it has been great. Her spend down amount is pretty high, but it still costs us less than if we paid for the caregiver ourselves. And because it counts as her medicaid spend down, all Dr visits and scripts are automatically covered by medicaid.
Unfortantely most family members don't get paid for caregiving. Have you contacted Social Security, and your local Dept of Public services and your local Area agency on aging ?I know in the state I live in family members do not get compasated for caregiving.
First, it is something that is offered through the county. The program is called Family Care and is not yet in all counties in the state. Call your local department on aging to ask (I live in Milwaukee county).
Then you have to apply and be accepted. If your step-father qualifies for Medicaid, then he will probably quality for Family Care. Depending on his income, there could be a fee. Basically, we pay them mom's Medicaid spend down amount every month and then they pay for the caregivers, respite, etc.
Once you are in the program, you are assigned a case management worker who works with you to determine your step-father's needs. IF they determine that he needs a caregiver, they figure out how many hours and that is what they pay for. They have to justify it - companionship doesn't count. I would love to have someone with mom 8 hours a day, but we only have justification for 4. But that is better than none!
Then you have the choice of picking one of their agencies to work with or having someone you know be the caregiver (yourself, a friend, family member). If you want to do it, I THINK you are required to get some training. Then you actually get "hired" by one of the agencies and paid for your time through them. I'm not sure of the details, since we didn't go that route.
It took us a few months to get mom on the program, but once we did it has been great. Her spend down amount is pretty high, but it still costs us less than if we paid for the caregiver ourselves. And because it counts as her medicaid spend down, all Dr visits and scripts are automatically covered by medicaid.
Good luck!