If you have no assets but you are still working and loved one needs more than eight hours of at home care, what are the options?

Imho, they should start with their town's Council on Aging, who will have a dedicated elder care worker and also a social worker on staff. Begin there. Prayers sent.

@ PeggySue2020, Medicaid changes from state to state. But generally speaking, Medicaid will not pay for 24 hours of care, 7 days a week in their own home. Sounds like she is receiving the maximum of in-home care hours. She can receive 24/7 care in a care facility. They may be able to find some hybrid solution, like in care during the week and at home on the weekends.

There is something wrong with a society where you are screwed because you are neither poor nor rich. This is one reason why we need a better health system.

Get them on Medicaid and plan on a nursing home. Caring for someone requires a great deal of personal assets. Home repairs, insurance, auto repairs, more insurance, dental care, eye care..etc etc etc all take a LOT of money. Your friend needs to start worrying about their own finances and KEEP that job.

Seems the loved one needs to move into long term care residence that will accept Medicaid. Ask doctor's office for contact info for a social worker than can help with locating resources and applying for government aid.

Check with his Insurance Company first. Then check with the Aging Depts in your area.

Ask for help from family members and friends.

See if there is a free day care place she can go to and use a Caregiver at night

Prayers

Are they married? If they are married then his income would be counted against her, if they are not married then she would be more likely to qualify for help.

If the husband is earning $80,000 a year, Medicaid is not going to pay for services. If he needs a break in the form of respite care, she can go into a nursing home for a short-stay. With Covid going on now, he may have to wait a while. Still, organizations like the United Way have unpaid volunteers who will put in some hours with a person when they can't afford to pay more help. Check them out.

The first step is to contact social services and/or the local area on aging agency to see what they can offer. If they can't offer enough in- home support, and LO is in a dangerous situation being alone, the next step is placing her in a NH. There are different scenarios that may play out to get her into long term nursing care, and he may need guidance on how to go about it as well, but that is the next step if he can't find in home assistance paid by the State or other sources. I'm sorry, there are no easy answers, and with COVID raging, a NH may not be ideal but it is likely the only answer if she is now unsafe at home.

I'm editing this as I just saw the response below. If he makes 80k or more and they are married, that changes things, he may need to pay an outside agency to caregive when he's not there. I would advise him to see an elder attorney to look at the finances and prepare them best for the future.

Have they contacted their county's social services? With severe COPD the possibility of unvaccinated helpers bringing in covid is worrisome.