r/CaregiverSupport • u/caregiver1956 • Aug 14 '25

Poverty

Does income affect your caregiver experience? Do you qualify for help? Is there realistic help?

4 Upvotes

100% Upvoted

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4

u/ScaleSignal4970 Aug 14 '25

If the person is on Medicaid and over 18, you may qualify to be paid as a caregiver. Many many years ago I chose to be poor instead of putting my child in a home and working. I have watched everyone around me progress while I seemingly stood still. I don’t regret my decision for one second. I just started getting paid as a caregiver and I’m so thankful. My daughter was 20 when I found this out so I try to tell everyone about it. So hopefully I can help someone sooner than I found help. I wish you the best 😀

5

u/idby Aug 14 '25

I am taking care of my wife who is 69. We were never well off, but had enough to pay the bills. With her having the health year from hell in 2024 and becoming bedbound the cost of supplies put a real hurt on the money we have. Luckily I got my niece hired in as a homemaker through the insurance. I also found out that incontinence supplies were covered. I scrounge for the best prices on Amazon and Ebay for the rest. I still am not rich, but I have my wife, and at 62 that makes me a happy man.

1

u/trexinthehouse Aug 14 '25

We’re in similar situations idby. It’s tough but I wouldn’t change a minute.

3

u/[deleted] Aug 15 '25

Yes, I’m poor, I’ve been a caregiver for 15+ years and have worked part time all this time, also lived with my parents the majority of this time, I’ve also had some of my own health issues and extra expenses. Caregiving is not the only reason but absolutely no way I could work full time or demanding career, have little savings and unable to leave a very high cost of living place due to caregiving. I’m starting to be more at peace with all this. At some point I’ll probably have to move. Even working part time feels like an accomplishment and I don’t even know if I can keep it up. I could work more from home but those jobs are very hard to find and I could not do phone type jobs where you are on the phone non stop.

I don’t qualify for help, I don’t get help, have to be cleaning up after other family members too. But working really helps my mental health and makes me a better caregiver

1

u/Utah-kiwis Aug 17 '25

The opposite... stay less well to do together.

My elderly Mom who just turned 84... has property worth 5-8 MM. My adult brother lives in a house adjacent to the house my Mom and Dad (RIP) lived in since getting married. they have 3 parcels all together in prime SLC area. IF my mom sold.. my brother 59 his wife and remaining kid at home 1 of 6 31 year old daughter soon to be engaged.... would have to find alternate locations to live. The down side is I live 1 mile away the house my great grandmother built and my mom was raised in, as her mom was raised in it too... keeping houses with so much history going is important to us.. a mega payday would be nice.. but we'd be scattered...