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Can Family Members Get Paid for Caregiving in Alaska?
Date Updated: July 26, 2024
Written by:
Rachel Lustbader is a writer and editor with a background in healthcare and technology. Her work has been published on websites including HealthCare.com, BiteSizeBio.com, BetterHelp.com, Caring.com, and PayingforSeniorCare.com. She studied health science and public health at Boston University.
Both of Rachel’s grandmothers had very positive experiences in senior living communities, and Rachel saw firsthand the impact that kind, committed caregivers and community managers can have on seniors’ and their family members’ lives. With her work at Caring, Rachel hopes to help other families find communities, caregivers, and at-home products that benefit elderly loved ones and make life less stressful for family caregivers
Family members can get paid for caregiving in Alaska. The Personal Care Services program can pay friends and certain family members to provide home care to seniors in the state. However, this option isn’t available to everyone in the program, and there are rules that govern which family members can be paid.
How Does the Personal Care Services Program Work?
The Personal Care Services program, or PCP, is a Medicaid plan that provides in-home care services to eligible seniors and people with disabilities. There are two options for people enrolled in the program. The first is agency-based care, where the state hires, supervises and pays care providers. The second is consumer-directed care, where participants or their legal representatives hire, schedule and manage caregivers.
People in the consumer-directed plan can hire friends and certain family members to provide care such as assistance with activities of daily living and instrumental activities of daily living. The state agency still makes payments to care providers, whether they are family members or hired through a home care company.
When Can Family Members Be Paid to Provide Care?
Beneficiaries can’t hire their spouse or legal guardians to provide care, but other family members, including adult children, can be paid through the program. Anyone being paid through PCP must pass a background check, which is the same check required of people working for home care agencies. Paid family caregivers must also complete CPR and first-aid training.
Are There Other Programs That Pay Family Members?
Alaska doesn’t have any other programs that pay family members directly to provide care. It does have the Alaska Senior Benefits program, which provides monthly cash assistance to seniors on a low-to-moderate income. There are no limits on what eligible seniors can spend this money on, so it can be used to pay a family member to provide services, such as housekeeping or chores around the house. Payments are either $76, $175 or $250 per month, depending on income.