If your friend has money to pay you, yes. You would need a formal employer/employee agreement done - your pay would be reported as income, so depending on your age, it might effect your own SSA benefit amount and you would get contract labor form at end of year because you have to pay tax on income. That agreement is necessary if there is the slightest possibility she would need to apply for Medicaid assistance to get into a NH if her own income ran out or she doesn't make enough to pay for NH. A CPA or elder atty can probably help with the employment forms.
If your friend is already on Medicaid, she can apply for in home assistance programs. It's possible the in home program could pay you as a caregiver or you could be hired by the Home Health provider to be her caregiver. She won't get a lot of hours per week of caregiving via these Medicaid programs, though. Very doubtful it would get close to being FT pay or hours.
I love my friends but I doubt if I would care for them but then I am 74 and been there as a Caregiver. You may find you are not able to do this longterm. If your the same age, you should be working so your SS will be higher. They only go back 35yrs. So lets say u don't work 10 yrs of that 35, your SS will only be based 25yrs.
I would try to find ways to get her help. Does she collect Social Security disability, Supplemental income. Is she on Medicaid for healthcare?
Have you checked with Medicaid to see if you can be paid for caring for her? Are there programs available where you are trained by an agency, they become your employer and you then can work for a friend. You will only receive minimum wage and the agency will take out payroll taxes.
In general the care recipient pays the caregiver. If the person you are caring for is a Veteran the VA has programs that will pay the caregiver. There may be programs through the Senior Services in your area.
If your friend is already on Medicaid, she can apply for in home assistance programs. It's possible the in home program could pay you as a caregiver or you could be hired by the Home Health provider to be her caregiver. She won't get a lot of hours per week of caregiving via these Medicaid programs, though. Very doubtful it would get close to being FT pay or hours.
From Georgia Department of Community Health
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I would try to find ways to get her help. Does she collect Social Security disability, Supplemental income. Is she on Medicaid for healthcare?
Have you checked with Medicaid to see if you can be paid for caring for her? Are there programs available where you are trained by an agency, they become your employer and you then can work for a friend. You will only receive minimum wage and the agency will take out payroll taxes.
If the person you are caring for is a Veteran the VA has programs that will pay the caregiver.
There may be programs through the Senior Services in your area.