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Can Family Members Get Paid for Caregiving in Arkansas?
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 Arkansas via Medicaid waivers and veteran’s programs. However, several eligibility requirements must be met, including medical assessments and asset checks. Under Medicaid waivers, a senior’s spouse can’t be hired as a caregiver.
In addition to financial support, a variety of other programs are available for family caregivers. For example, the National Family Caregiver Support Program offers counseling and support groups, supplemental services and respite care.
The Arkansas Veterans Administration Supports Caregivers for Veterans
The Veterans Administration runs several programs for Arkansas veterans to help them access home care services, either through an approved provider or by paying family members to provide care services. These programs include the Housebound Pension Benefit and the Veteran Directed Home and Community Based Care Program, which can be used to pay family members to provide support with the activities of daily living, housekeeping and other similar tasks.
Short-Term Caregivers Are Entitled to Time Off Work
Caregivers who are filling that role for only a short period of time, such as to support a loved one who’s recovering from an operation, are entitled to time off work for this purpose. In Arkansas, the Family and Medical Leave Act means eligible employees are entitled to up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave to care for a loved one. These laws apply only to employees of companies that have 50 or more employees for at least 20 weeks of the year. Smaller businesses aren’t required to comply with these regulations.