Some Are Paying a Family Member to Provide Care

Would you accept money from a parent or grandparent in return for caring for them? Would you pay a child or other relative to care for you?

What with the difficulty finding qualified help and the financial sacrifice involved in quitting a job to care for a loved one, some are paying family members to provide care, according to a Wall Street Journal article appearing in the Naples (Florida) News.

According to the article, several state Medicaid programs now allow elders who otherwise would require nursing home care to employ family caregivers rather than home-care agencies. And a growing number of private long-term care insurance policies reimburse for such "informal care."

However, one problem with such arrangements is the danger of elder abuse. In California, it''s surprisingly common for relatives to take the money and fail to provide the care, says Tristan Svare, deputy district attorney for San Bernardino County. Experts advise that written agreements be drawn up in advance.

"It''s definitely the wave of the future," says Gail Gibson Hunt of the National Alliance for Caregiving in Bethesda, Maryland. "It can be a great idea, as long as there are safeguards in place."

To read the Naples News article, go to: http://www.naplesnews.com/02/09/business/d791025a.htm