How to get paid as a family caregiver?

LPayton3, one thing that worries me, do you have health care coverage? What if something happens to you?

Unfortunately this is a tough decision whether to keep on working or quit work to care for our parents. Sadly by choosing the latter we lose a lot of financials. Not only the worth of salary, but the net worth of company sponsored health care, paid sick days, paid vacation days, some companies offered matching 401(k), and profit sharing. Plus monies placed into Medicare and Social Security. And being around people of our own generation.

After a numerous number of years out of work that could cost over $300,000 that you lose in salary and net worth of benefits.

I remember when my Dad asked for me to leave my career so I could drive them all over hill and dale. They were still self-sufficient living under their own roof, and me living under my own roof. I asked Dad if he had resigned from his career to care for his parents or for Mom's parents. He never asked me again. But then I knew my parents could budget for caregivers but didn't want strangers in the house.

As for grocery shopping, I started to use what is called Peapod on-line grocery service which had a contract with one of our local grocery stores. What a relief. I could shop on-line for my parents, and for myself. I had a choice of either curb side pick-up or home delivery.

As for doctor appointments, if my parents were seeing the same doctors, I got back-to-back appointments. And I finally cut out the every 3 month visits with all these doctors. Stretched it to 4 to 5 months, and it worked just as well, it all depends on the medical help needed.

There comes a time when it takes a village [assisted living] to take care of our love ones. Otherwise we find ourselves doing the work of 3 full-time caregivers each and every day. So easy to crash and burn. Then what? Our parents would then be going to assisted living without us being around.

Every state has programs for this. Some are through Medicaid, some are not. In your state there is the Arkansas caregiver support program. Just keep in mind, you probably won’t get paid more than minimum wage and you won’t have benefits, or pay into social security or a retirement plan. It is possible in many states to be paid for 20-40 hours a week.

MAC is right. When I researched this, I found out I would get $40 a week for 24/7/365 care of my bed bound husband. They suggested a reverse mortgage. I have never heard of any caregiver being paid enough to live on, not to mention health care and a retirement fund.

You cannot pay child support and meet your own needs with no money. If you don’t pay child support, you can be incarcerated and then who will care for your parents?