The subject of family caregiving for sick and elderly relatives has been in the news a lot lately. Many people need to modify their work schedules to provide transportation, prepare meals, give medicine or provide supervision for frail parents. One of the issues is the tremendous number of middle-aged women who leave their jobs to become full-time caregivers for aging parents. See today’s NYTimes http://www.nytimes.com/2014/06/24/business/women-leave-their-careers-in-peak-years.html Sometimes the parent wants to hire their child as their home health aide or assistant to compensate for the child’s loss of job income. If there is a possibility that the parent will need to apply to Medicaid for Home and Community Based Services, it is vital that they get legal advice from an elder law attorney on how to structure the arrangement, as there is always a risk that such an arrangement will result in a denial of Medicaid benefits.
Another issue is the responsibilities placed on family members when relatives are discharged home from the hospital with specialized nursing and therapeutic needs — the family members are not necessarily skilled or educated in administering this health care. A bill is pending in the NJ Legislature called the Caregiver Advise, Record and Enable Act (CARE) which would create a standardized approach for this critical transition from hospital care to family home care. See http://www.nj.com/politics/index.ssf/2014/05/nj The bill is A-2955. http://www.njleg.state.nj.us/2010/Bills/A3000/2955_I1.HTM The bill passed the Assembly and is pending in the state Senate. If this is of interest to you, you can contact your state senator about it.
Call us for legal advice and advocacy concerning family caregiving and hospital discharge problem … 732-382-6070