For many families, paid caregivers that come to the home are a great option. The freedom to hire someone who you feel comfortable with, and who has the nursing skills needed to care for your loved ones needs, can’t be found elsewhere. The downside to paid caregivers, is that Medicare does not pay for custodial care, which is what a patient with Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s ultimately needs.
In many states, Medicaid has a waiver program that provides the care at home that is needed, largely because it avoids the cost of nursing home care. To qualify for Medicaid coverage, it is best to speak with an experienced elder law attorney, as you must fall below income and asset limitations to qualify.
Even if you hire a family friend or relative to provide the care, it is best to speak with a qualified elder law attorney. There are a few tricky tax and Medicaid gifting issues that can come into play and trap the uninformed, making it difficult or impossible to get the coverage for care as the disease progresses.
