Becoming a Family Caregiver for an Ailing Loved One

What Is a Caregiver, and What Do They Do?

Professional caregivers work intimately with seniors to meet their needs as they age. As individuals get older, their needs change and they may need more help going about their day.

Examples of the kinds of help caregivers provide include:

Bathing and grooming

Help with toileting

Medical appointments and medication compliance

Transportation

Companionship

Cooking, cleaning, and grocery shopping

Care for animals

Laundry

Coordinate benefit care/speak to insurance companies on the senior’s behalf, if authorized

Family Caregivers: Know the Downsides

Having a family member serve in the role of caregiver can make for a better experience for your loved one and, in some ways, give you peace of mind as well. However, there are some downsides to be aware of if you are considering becoming a family caregiver.

Your own health, both physical and emotional, can be negatively affected when taking on the burden of caring for a family member. Be sure to engage in self-care, maintain a healthy diet, and watch out for signs of stress and burnout. When you do need a break, consider looking into respite care.

If your loved one has specific medical issues that will require the attention and expertise of a professional healthcare provider, you may want to reassess whether you should take on the role of family caregiver.

Taking care of a loved one who is getting older or who is disabled will likely require a great deal of your time, too. You may find yourself not performing as well at work or having a longer commute as you fulfill the needs of your ailing loved one. Not to mention that your own immediate family may be missing out on valuable time with you while you are caregiving elsewhere.

In turn, this could mean you will have less time to hold down a full-time job. In fact, a 2020 AARP survey showed that about 20 percent of family caregivers reported experiencing a high level of financial stress. Nearly 30 percent of them stopped saving altogether as a result of providing care for their loved ones.

In these challenging economic times, you must be able to support yourself while ensuring the best care for your aging family member.

Can Family Members Get Financial Help with Caregiving?

Fortunately, certain programs are available to help family members care for ailing relatives. You may need to do a bit of research to find the right option for your circumstances.

Medicaid Self-Directed Care. For individuals on Medicaid, the Medicaid Self-Directed Care Program is one option that gives them the authority to manage their services. In certain states, this program offers recipients the ability to use the resources allocated for home care to pay a family member to help them with their daily needs. The Medicaid Self-Directed Care Program lets seniors have more autonomy over their care. Note that such programs vary by state, however, and not all states will have an option like this. Each state may also use different criteria to define who qualifies as a “family” caregiver. Find your local Area Agency on Aging to learn more about the possibilities, or call your local Medicaid agency. Note that, generally, Medicare will not cover the costs of caregiving by a family member.
Veteran’s Benefits. If your loved one is a military veteran, there are special benefits available to cover their home care, including the Veteran’s Directed Home and Community Based Services program. This program gives veterans a flexible spending budget that the veteran can use to pay a family member to act as their caregiver.
National Family Caregiver Support Program. Note that this program does not pay caregivers directly. Rather, it helps fund several different types of services for family caregivers, from training in caregiving to respite care. Learn more about this program.
Long-Term Care Insurance. If you are thinking ahead to who will care for you as you age, you may consider long-term care insurance when creating an estate plan. Certain long-term care insurance policies allow the policyholder to pay family members to work as caregivers. However, that is not true for every policy. Some policies do not allow policyholders to pay family members to work as caregivers if they live in the policyholder’s home. If you need help evaluating your long-term care insurance options, we highly recommend you contact Pence Wealth Management at 1-800-731-3623.

DISCLAIMER: Pence Wealth Management is registered with LPL Financial, a Registered Investment Advisor. Member FINRA, SIPC. Kavesh, Minor & Otis is not affiliated with Pence Wealth Management or LPL Financial.

Do You Need to Speak With an Estate Planning Attorney?

If you need to speak with an experienced estate planning lawyer, please contact us online or call us directly at 800.756.5596 to first register for one of our free, informative seminars. Your attendance will qualify you for a special discount for our estate planning services should you decide to make a free appointment at the conclusion of the seminar and choose to proceed with us. Our estate planning law firm proudly serves clients throughout California from our main office in Torrance, as well as those in Redondo Beach, Manhattan Beach, Hermosa Beach, Segundo, San Pedro, and Rancho Palos Verdes.

When You Want the Very Best for Your Loved Ones, Choose Us.

Experience and Expertise. Estate planning and post-death administration are all we do. Our attorneys have over 70 years of combined expertise in the field, and three of our attorneys have passed an additional Bar examination and peer review process to become State Bar Certified Specialists in Estate Planning, Trust and Probate Law. Two of our attorneys also have Master’s Degrees in Tax Law, giving us unique insight into how estate tax and income tax will affect your family’s inheritance.

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Becoming a Family Caregiver for an Ailing Loved One

What Is a Caregiver, and What Do They Do?

Family Caregivers: Know the Downsides

Free Estate Planning Seminars

Estate Planning Newsletters

Can Family Members Get Financial Help with Caregiving?

Do You Need to Speak With an Estate Planning Attorney?

When You Want the Very Best for Your Loved Ones, Choose Us.