How do I get compensated for taking care of my parents full time?

I live in Virginia & work through PPL Solutions to stay at home and take care of my mom, first my mother had to be evaluated which I was told the process is faster if done at a hospital & had to apply for long term Medicaid for my mom, then I had to pick a facilitator in my area which handles the paperwork & gets everything started then basically comes every month to check in with you & ask about doctor appointments & any changes or accidents & I get paid $9 something an hour but it took 6 months before I actually started getting paid but fortunately I was eligible for back- pay. The first year I didn't understand exactly what or how to use respite hours which I've learned if you don't use your respite hours to get a break in which I believe the respite hours are intended for, only my mother doesn't want a stranger taking care of her & I don't have any family members to help so getting a break isn't so easy but at least now I know I can use those respite hours & receive more money each month. I recommend knowing exactly what you're getting yourself into as being a caretaker is an awfully stressful job & most people really have no idea how hard it is

I love in NC if you contact DSS there are programs for paid family caregiver. It's small but it's something

It should be noted that some states have already started restricting Medicaid waivers because of budget cuts. The other thing that is happening is that waivers are being prioritized with disabled children given priority so that they are not institutionalized and taken from their families. The waiting lists for waivers is getting longer. Some states have up to two and three year waits. A recent waiver in my state was issued for 3 hours of care per week at $12.00 per hour.

Robert, I want to add that you definitely do deserve compensation. Your parents are lucky to have you, and should pay you out of their income and savings for the care you are providing. If they can't, other arrangements should be made for their care so that you can get back into the workforce and provide for yourself and your own old age.

The most common question in the AgingCare Caregiver Forum is "How can I get paid to care for a family member?".

The vast majority of family caregivers do not get paid for the provision of care.

However, a loved one may use out-of-pocket retirement savings for this purpose. If a family member has enough funds to privately pay from savings, it is important to formally complete a Personal Care Agreement. Prior to receiving any payment, this document should be prepared to outline the services provided as well as the payment to be received. A personal care agreement can not be created retroactively to pay for past care.

The Caregiver Forum is a great place to come for answers. Additionally, I'd like to offer the following AgingCare articles as reference points:

To understand the purpose of and create a formal agreement between family members, please refer to:

https://www.agingcare.com/articles/personal-care-agreements-compensate-family-caregivers-181562.htm

It is important to note that most outside sources of pay will only pay for medically based home health care provided by an authorized agency. For a general overview regarding paying for care, please refer to:

https://www.agingcare.com/articles/paying-for-home-care-155405.htm

And finally, if you would like further information regarding the decision to hire a home care company that fits your needs and your budget, please refer to:

https://www.agingcare.com/articles/how-to-select-a-home-care-company-230598.htm

If you are new to caregiving you will likely have future questions. There are many answers from experienced caregivers here. Don't hesitate to come back and ask.

Robert, the vast majority of grown children who are caregivers to their parent(s) do not get paid.... unless the parent(s) can pay that grown child from their own saving account. If your parents can do that, then you would need to draw up an Employment Agreement.

Another option is to see if your parents can qualify for Medicaid [which is different then Medicare]. If yes, then depending on what State you live in, Medicaid may be able to pay you an income, but please note the income would be very minimal.

With the new tax laws being changed, and to pay the difference from not getting enough taxes from Corporations due to the large tax drop, it looks like Medicaid [which is State run] may see some programs disappearing because the State can no longer afford the programs because the Federal Government cannot give the States the funds for these programs :(  If you can get your parent's into Medicaid now, hopefully for any program changes coming down the pike, your parents could be "grandfathered" to keep the program. Again, this can vary from State to State.