Help in Your Home
Senior Answers and Services
is often asked for help in obtaining care or protection of an older adult. Following are
topics which should be addressed when considering this type of service.
Does the person needing care or protection have the ability to pay privately for
this service?
Does he/she have family or relatives that will help pay? Does he/she have coverage or
benefits from another, third party payer that would pay for this service. That might
include private insurance, Medicaid (Home and Community Based Services), or in some
instances, limited assistance from Medicare?
If you are considering employing someone privately, remember that you may
have to pay social security and income tax withholding for your employee. You will have to
advertise, recruit, check references, set up bookkeeping and withholding, pay taxes,
negotiate terms, monitor and supervise, schedule, and discharge. You will have to arrange
your own coverage for absence or illness.
If you make an arrangement with a provider that represents him/herself as an
"independent contractor", that person will have to meet strict
IRS standards. If he/she does not, you may later be required by the IRS to pay the payroll
taxes which should have been withheld, as well as being assessed penalties and interest.
If you wish to proceed with this strategy, both major daily newspapers have a section in
their classified ads for you to check, or to advertise in. For the Rocky Mountain News, it
is section # "1265 - Adult Care". For the Denver Post, it is sections #
"2470 - In Home Care Wanted" and "2490 - In Home Care Provided".
Another strategy is to contract with a home health or homemaker agency for this service.
Home health agencies are not licensed or monitored by the state. Some agencies have a
contractual relationship with Medicare and Medicaid, and are "certified" for
these programs by the state. These certified agencies can bill Medicare or Medicaid for
their services to you or your relative, if you or your relative meet other qualifying
criteria. You will find these agencies listed in the US West DEX "Yellow Pages"
under the heading of "Home Health Services".
Additionally, Senior Answers and Services publishes the Senior
Resource Guidebook, which lists certified home health agencies. Call 303-333-3482 for
information and postage/handling charges. Unless you need skilled nursing services or
therapy, look and ask for "homemakers", "companions", "light
housekeeping", "personal care", "respite care", etc.
Home Care Allowance
Certain very low income persons may be eligible for payment to a care provider from the
state (i.e. County Department of Social Services) to help with activities of daily living
in the home. Recipients of Old Age Pension, Home and Community Based Services, or Aid to
the Needy Disabled may be eligible for this payment, which may be up to $385 per month.
Contact Senior Answers and Services at 303-333-3482 for more information.
Home and Community Based Services
Persons who have established eligibility for nursing home care under the state's Medicaid
program, sometimes may opt to receive care in the home under a Medicaid alternative to
nursing homes program called Home and Community Based Services. There is a limit on how
much the state will pay for this care, and the recipient will probably be required to make
a co-payment for the services. Call Senior Answers and Services at 303-333-3482 for more
information.
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