It is not a hidden fact that there exists an alarming rate of poverty among the elderly members of our family. The major reason for them being in such a situation is that they usually find themselves under-funded as they retire from their work life. This eventually leads them to lead a life dependent on a family caregiver. If one were to see the data from Pew Research Centre, it turns out that over one half of 70 million caregivers are adult children caring for an elderly parent and almost 24% are assisting aging spouses. A majority of the elderly folks that receive assistance include those who have several functional physical and/or mental limitations and they continue to stay in private homes in the community as opposed to institutions. So in all probabilities, when a family member decides to take the responsibility of an aging/ailing elderly person, it can be quite overwhelming. Apart from the physical stress, it can also mean a whole lot of financial burden piling up over time.
So how can caregivers lessen this burden especially if they have quit their full-time job to attend to the needs of someone at home?
There are many options being offered for caregivers where they can earn extra money while caring for their family member. At least that way they can make up for the colossal time and stressful efforts spent caring for their dear ones. So let’s see what they are and how you or anyone can benefit from it.
Medicaid Funded Programs
There are 2 Medicaid funded programs namely CDPAP (Consumer Directed Personal Assistance Program) and CDPAS (Consumer Directed Personal Assistance Services). These programs let the care receiver choose their caregiver which could be anyone from family member to close friend to someone currently providing care. They also let you decide on the type of assistance required be it companionship and/or daily activities. For eligibility to these programs, the one receiving care must already be registered under Medicaid and should either be in-charge by him/herself or have a designated representative. The caregiver receives a pay-check based on an hourly pay rate for the number of hours devoted to the patient.
Caregiver Contracts
This is a formal agreement usually among family members to establish the fact that the person providing care to a loved one needs to be compensated, especially if that someone has quit their job to give their complete attention and care to the patient. This type of agreement usually helps in awkward situations where the family members argue over the expenditures that may affect what they eventually hope to inherit or receive as gifts. The caregiver contract does not leave any ambiguity on the compensation given to the caregiver. At times when one family member cannot help financially, multiple members of the family pool resources to pay the caregiver. This contract comes in handy at such occasions delineating terms and tasks to be performed thus ensuring the family members do not fight against each other.
