In every senior’s life there comes a time when the discussion about receiving care comes up. Especially in a country like the United States, this sort of discussion becomes all the more important as there seems to be a serious growth in adults above the age of 65 and soon expected to double from a population of 52 million in 2018 to 95 million by 2060 due to the baby boom generation. However, what cannot be ignored is the fact that the majority of them live alone. Hence, the demand for care both at home and in facilities is also on the rise.
Caregiving, especially to an elderly member of the family, has its own share of benefits. It can help them with daily non-medical activities for instance bathing, shaving, mobility, keeping track of regular medication, and eating. It can also include housekeeping activities that care for the environment such as doing laundry, preparing meals, cleaning the house or room, and other relevant activities. There’s also the emotional connect that happens during caregiving especially when it is a family member taking on the role of a caregiver.
- Interaction on a regular basis helps them feel less isolated.
- Feeling loved, wanted and useful makes them stay mentally healthy.
- Home care is an affordable option in comparison to a facility care.
- Familiar surroundings can be very helpful in recovering as well as fighting stress that could arise
if moved to a new place or facility.
All said and done, while caregiving can be emotionally rewarding, it can be quite stressful if one were to consider the financial aspect. It so often happens that one has to drastically reduce the number of hours spent at work or even completely quit the job just so that undivided attention can be provided to the loved one. There are many studies hinting at the plight of caregivers. While one shows that almost 1/3rd of caregivers who help impaired people face severe financial difficulties and on the other hand another study shows that it can increase the likelihood of women caregivers experiencing poverty or becoming completely dependent on public assistance.
Hence, it is crucial for caregivers to know that they can continue providing care to their loved ones unhindered and still get paid for taking care of family. Here are a few options that you can connect with for financial aid while caring.
- Find out if you are eligible for Medicaid’s Program namely CDPAP and CDPAS
- Enquire if your loved one fulfils the eligibility criteria for Veterans Benefit or Cash and Counselling
- Check out if a home and community-based services program is suitable enough
- A long term care insurance policy can also have some form of compensation reserved for the
caregiver - Check with any of the family members who would be willing to support you financially for your
caregiving time and efforts - Determine whether you or the care recipient fulfils the IRS eligibility criteria under the IRS’s Credit
for Caring Act