How To Get Paid to Be a Caregiver for a Loved One

Providing caregiver support to a family member is a tough job and oftentimes is done on an unpaid basis just to help the family. This has a way of putting an undue burden on people financially and have them looking for reimbursement options. Luckily, there are some state and federal government programs designed to offer financial assistance to family caregivers.
Paid Caregiver for Loved One

How Much Do Family Members Get Paid for Caregiving?

Oftentimes, someone acts as a caregiver for family member out of the goodness of their heart, however, there is no harm in also getting paid to be a caregiver. There are many programs designed to offer assistance and payment options to family caregivers and the amount of assistance typically varies by state, program, and eligibility.
The amount offered can be determined on a variety of factors including the local wage rates, as determined by zip code, with some programs having a cap on the maximum hourly rate allowed. Other factors to get paid to take care of a loved one can include the caregiver’s qualifications and experience, the level of care required for you relatives, time commitment required, and the market demand for caregivers in your area. Typically, for example in Pennsylvania, a family caregiver can expect to be paid around $10-$14 an hour.
Of course, they may be other ways to get caregiver benefits such as if your family member has long-term care insurance which may allow payment to be directed to a family member, some employers may offer paid caregiver leave, and other family members may see the benefit of you getting paid to be a caregiver and pay you directly.

Government Programs That Pay Family Caregivers

The most common form of government program that allows for a caretaker for family members to be paid is the Medicaid waiver program that allows states to waive certain requirements to provide support for long-term care. For example, financial support in Pennsylvania is offered through Community Health Choices waiver.

Other government programs that can allow you to get paid to take care of family are offered through the Veterans Administration, if eligible. There are also tax credits available to help cover the expenses of providing care assistance. Many states have agencies and programs that will assist in helping you get the correct information and understand the eligibility requirement to get paid to take care of family, for example, in Pennsylvania this is known as the Pennsylvania Department of Aging.

Of course, you can also outsource care to a professional Philadelphia home care agency with many payment options available to pay for these services. When you get paid caregiver benefits for these services, you won’t have to spend your time as a caregiver and have full employment and be free to do other things.

How to Apply for Caregiver Compensation

If you are ready to apply to a family caregiver program to receive financial support, the best place to start is through your state or local aging agency which can easily be found online. They can give you assistance regarding eligibility requirements and point you to which programs you can apply for.

You can also look into caregivers services through your state’s aging agency if you are considering hiring professional assistance. Whatever you decide to do, the benefits of providing care for a loved one are unmeasurable and provide benefits to them which they will appreciate.

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