GeneralBecome a Paid Caregiver in Georgia with Structured Family Caregiving Program

As the famous saying goes, “blood is thicker than water,” we know the importance of having your family nearby to support and guide you through life. No matter your age, your parents, siblings, and grandparents have a significant impact on your life and shape you into the person that you are today.

Many people report that they have powerful bonds with their families. It is not surprising to hear that since almost all of us have spent our formative years around them, they were likely to teach us to perform essential life functions from an early age.As you explore the possibility of becoming a paid caregiver under Georgia’s Structured Family Caregiving Program, it’s important to consider establishing a Georgia LLC for your caregiving business, which can offer liability protection and tax benefits while maintaining a professional image and reputation.

Moreover, if you grew up in a large house where several generations of people lived, you know precisely the closeness we are talking about. This is usually customary in families with ethnicities hailing from collectivistic cultures, but that does not negate the bonding experience. In fact, many say that multigenerational households should become the norm as it allows for a greater attachment between family members.

Furthermore, it might lessen the burden of childcare from parents as the grandparents are nearby and could help watch their grandchildren when they are at work. Follow this link for more information on this subject: https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/columnist/2020/07/16/multigenerational-households-rise-prepare-pros-and-cons/5447028002/

Keeping the memories alive

However, free childcare is not what all these households are good for! They also provide the elderly with frequent socialization, which research says that in recent years has been severely lacking in their lives on account of the increased individualization of our society.

Additionally, the almost constant presence of other people could help in case of any sudden health issues. Namely, as folks get older, their ability to do everyday household things decreases. You hear plenty of stories of elders who fell trying to reach something and broke their hip, thus unable to stand up and call for help. Having someone around can prevent that as they will notice immediately if something is wrong and contact professionals who can help.

Sadly, sometimes that is not enough. Often, older adults develop neurodegenerative disorders such as dementia that ultimately prevent them from functioning normally. Patients with these diagnoses can require a lot of assistance and constant care that plenty of adults who work cannot give. Learn how to do it here.

It is understandable then that they would feel helpless and lost in how to assist their loved ones. Many opt to send them away into nursing homes or hire an in-house nurse who will take care of their needs from within the house. But these options can be less than optimal.

Firstly, they can get quite expensive and put an additional financial strain on the family along with the medical bills. In addition, one of the scariest things to do to dementia patients is to take them from the comfort of their own homes and put them in an unfamiliar place with people they do not know. It can seriously aggravate their condition.

That is why for a lot of families, this can seem like a lose-lose situation. Fortunately, it does not have to be. There is a possibility for close relatives of the patient to become their caregiver professionally and get paid for doing it as they would with a regular job! Stay with us to find out more about whether you qualify and how to do it.

A game-changer

When they find themselves in this challenging situation, many family members wish they could afford to help their elderly relative full-time. Unfortunately, that is not a realistic possibility for plenty of folks since it would most likely require leaving their careers and dipping into their savings.

That is why this opportunity is so revolutionary. The patients get to remain in the home they know and love and be taken care of by the people that know them best. At the same time, the caregiver does not have to fear financial ruin and can rest easy knowing that they are doing what they love and can sustain themselves and their close ones.

In order to do it, though, you have to know the rules. First of all, to become a paid caregiver with SFC you need to live with the person who needs the care. That means that you have the same residential address, and you can prove that you have access to them 24/7.

Additionally, you are not allowed to have any separate employment outside of your care for the patient. Moreover, you are also forbidden from running a business from home as that might jeopardize the health and safety of the person you are taking care of.

Secondly, you need to be a close relative of the patient. The relation can be either biological, such as a son or a granddaughter, or by marriage, like son-in-law or daughter-in-law. However, you are not entitled to any financial compensation if you are the patient’s spouse or legal guardian. This is because, by law, spouses and parents must take care of their spouses or children, respectively.

Lastly, and most importantly, make sure that the person in need of care is eligible under the Medicaid program in Georgia. Furthermore, they also need to be participants of the SOURCE waiver programs or the CCSP.

The elder in question should also be unable to perform daily living activities such as dressing themselves, bathing, and eating. That means that if the patient is still suffering from early signs of dementia, they might not qualify for this program if they are sufficiently able to take care of themselves. To be on the safe side, check with their doctor before applying.

A couple of last words

All in all, there is no greater pleasure than making sure your loved ones are safe, happy, and well taken care of. Despite the unfortunate diagnoses they might receive as they grow older, that does not mean that their lives are over. We can continue to provide them with support, love and enjoy their presence while we still can.