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I dress, bathe, grocery shop and accompany to doctors visits.

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Actually - the safest answer is "Maybe". No one here can actually tell you with 100% certainty whether your particular situation qualifies for what you are hoping for. Each state has different requirements. MediCAID has financial requirements in order to qualify even for Medicaid.

And to the point - "paid full time" is up for interpretation. All due respect to OP, but there are many people who work full time and do all of those things you listed. That is not to negate what you are doing, I'm simply pointing out that every single situation is different. So as I said, there are MANY factors and the only way to really know for certain is to investigate and apply for the benefits and see what happens.

But it isn't likely that you would be paid for 40 hours of work a week, much less 24/7 care. And any amount of money you receive will not likely be enough to live on.

Are you able to leave your mother at home alone for any period of time? Does she require 24/7 care? Those questions are important when you consider how many hours you might potentially be reimbursed for.
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Reply to BlueEyedGirl94
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You will need to ask her Medicaid case manager. Every state has their own rules.
It will also depend on how much you do for her. For what you describe, helping her to bathe, dress, shopping and accompany to doctor visits, you might be paid for a couple of hours.
Family caregivers who are paid to take care of their loved ones, such as I am, are living with a completely dependent patient. Someone who would otherwise be in a skilled nursing facility if they didn't have someone to care for them full time at home.
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Reply to CaringWifeAZ
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Morijoh, please can you come back and tell us “how many hours and how much you get paid”? The original question was ‘can I get paid FULL TIME’. Previous information given on the site has been short hours and basic pay rates – so ‘basically the answer would be NO’, not ‘usually yes’.

If the information is misleading, people can waste a lot of time making plans that won't come true. We get posts from people who have been led to think that there is subsidised housing, generous care payments, income benefits and other things that usually aren't there, and are planning on relocating a 'currently coping' parent from another state on the basis of it. It isn't kind.
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Reply to MargaretMcKen
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The way you asked, simply the answer is Yes. Full-time is a different answer in different states, you need to research and ask those office personnel what is covered and how to manage the rest that isn't. Where I live only a certian amount is covered by those agencies, but there are movements to change the laws so that people can get more. It is a full-time job for a NH, and it is as well for loved ones. It really sucks that they claim "because you are family you get less". Check into your states unemployment agency for coverages of less working hours, as some states allow some unemployment pay for taking care of their loved ones.
There is much to change when it comes to Elderly/loved ones care!
I'm doing double duty: a child and a parent(I used to take care of both parents but one is now in a NH and I'm wading through the Medicaid process that adds stress). Keep on, you will find a way and find the answers you need!
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Reply to Bgreen7777
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holjenness: Pose your question to your Medicaid caseworker.
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Reply to Llamalover47
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Talk to her medicaid case manager about it.
If you and she meet the requirements (every state has their own) then you may be paid to care for her.
It depends what her needs are. You may only get paid for a few hours a week.
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Reply to CaringWifeAZ
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Yes, in IL you can. Not sure where you’re located but my mother is 80 w/dementia. Both my brother (lives with her) and I share responsibilities and hours. My mother has both Medicare & Medicaid so we applied thru the states DORS program who came to the house for an assessment. She was approved for 177hrs a mo. We filled out the application and went thru the same process any job would require. Within 2weeks we were approved and started next day. We’re required to take Zoom classes every 6mo but in my experience it’s been a very simple process and we’re now getting paid for everything we were already doing.
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Reply to MSalazar227
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yes
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Reply to Godis1trinity
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MargaretMcKen Jan 11, 2025
God etc, you are a brand new poster, and this is a wrong answer. No, not paid full time. Please 'educate yourself' more, because this could mislead others.
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Call and talk to her caseworker. Mom may need to qualify for "in home" help for you to become her paid caregiver. You will probably not be paid full-time and it won't be much. You can see if she can get intermittent care thru Medicare. They won't pay you, but may give you some time to yourself.
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Reply to JoAnn29
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Igloocar Jan 19, 2025
JoAnn, I think you had a very rare slip of the pen. You meant Medicaid, not Medicare. Medicare does not pay for in-home custodial care.
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holjenness, welcome to the forum. Yes, you can get paid if your mother can budget her funds in order to pay you. Otherwise, if she cannot, and your mother qualifies for Medicaid (different from Medicare), your State Medicaid office might be able to pay you. Please note the pay would probably be minimum wage for a few hours per week.


I believe the reason the number of hours is low is that within a family household, one would be doing cooking, cleaning, laundry, grocery shopping anyway for the family. Note, Medicaid is funded by the taxpayers.
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Reply to freqflyer
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No, you likely cannot, but if your mom qualifies for Medicaid and is on it you certain can ask her medicaid worker this question. You can also explore the Medicaid site for your State, and the Medicare and Medicaid sites online governmental sites to research this.
I wish you luck.
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Reply to AlvaDeer
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Morijoh Jan 25, 2025
actually most likely CAN. Medicaid does pay if mom is on medicaid. my mom was not on medicaid just medicare and i got her signed up for medicaid (we are in Wa) and after a whole bunch of paperwork, meeting with case manager i got her signed up for medicaid. Then getting paid for her i had to get fingerprinted and several other things but i am finally about to be getting paid, DSHS and the case manager will send info on how many hours and how much you get paid. So, basically the answer is usually yes, you just have to get online and check it out, that's how i started it.
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I don't know about getting paid for full-time help, but most states do allow Medicaid to pay for a few hours of help each week. You'll have to check with your social services dept. to see what your mom may qualify for.
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