I would like to know what agencies qualify under Genworth in order for me to seek training so that I could be her caregiver. She is currently in assisted living and has short term memory loss but we feel she would be much happier with us. Of course I would have to quit my current job to do so.
Who took in their parents to live with them .two of our friends asked their
Father just recently to go and stay at their homes because they think their father will be happier staying with them .(their father is not healthy .) thank you God for people like blong.
One other lady friend and her brothers take turns in letting their mother stay with them, two weeks for each of the three siblings .their mother has Alzheimers .
Among other things I learned how to bandage skin tears and had to learn which ones required a doctor/nurse. Sadly, I actually learned how to bandage better than what we too often found in the emergency rooms.
A lot of "cleaning/bathing" I had to learn on the fly - AgingCare.com helped me a lot this past 6 months. I found this site when researching something to care for my husband.
If eligible for Home Health Care - they will show you how to do a lot that is necessary. And they will answer your questions. I was told that Home Health Care is supposed to teach the caregiver how to "give care" for the patient.
I never had to "qualify" to be a caregiver - I just had to be willing. I was willing and learned as I went.
There are so many dynamics that being part of the village of caretaking for a loved one entails, many of which you can have a hard time foreseeing. Even with up front agreements on expectations, years of support and assistance continue to increase the demands on you and the strain that you may feel on your marriage, family life, work life (many of us are still trying to work to make sure we will be self sufficient as we age), and personal health and well being. Boundaries are hard to put in place after the horse has been let out of the barn.
While MIL is in Assisted Living, there will still be demands on the family, but the biggest gain is the peace of mind that she is in a safe place with people who are trained to meet her needs and as her memory deteriorates, she will be in a place where she is already familiar. Your visits will be able to be just that, a time to visit and hopefully enjoy each other's company and focus on that relationship versus the one of caregiver.
Furthermore, I suggest that you get a written statement from Genworth saying that your MILs policy will pay you $X for X months once you get your license or qualification.
In my experience (not with Genworth), the LTC policy did not pay as much for in-home care as for a nursing home, and they did require qualified care. We used an agency that supplied LPNs or RNs because of the level of care required.
I brought my mother to live with my husband and me 13 years ago. Its not been easy as she is an alcoholic with all the problems associated with it. While there are occasional days I question my decision, the vast majority of days have been good. My mother is safe, my family is whole, my faith in Jesus is strong.
As for training...A certificate for LPN (basic nursing skills) and studying thru Teepa Snow's Pines of Sarasota Education and Training Institute should qualify you for receiving payment. (Do an Internet search)
Taking care of an elderly person is mostly cleaning and helping them with daily needs, dressing, showering, going to the potty, cooking, cleaning, taking medications. Patience and adequate time is the most needed skill with those. Memory loss tragic and can be dangerous for them, so many additional safety measures should be taken. Again, please do a search on Teepa Snow's Pines of Sarasota.
If you are in the US, be reminded that the law allows for a tax free gift (from your MIL law to you and/or your husband) of $14,000/year to any family member. When paid by the month, ($1166/mo) my understanding is that Medicaid would not require it be repaid in the event you are unable to continue her in-your-home care. The Medicaid 'lookback' takes your provisions for her monthly care into consideration. Keep track of all your expenses: providing living space, meals, utilities, chauffeuring, daily physical assistance time, etc. A daily log and saving receipts and tax documents is all that's needed. You can also choose to list it as income (pay taxes on it) and it would go toward your Social Security.
You will have very difficult days...maybe difficult weeks. And you will become stronger for them.
The best of luck to you and your family.
I don't know, she doesn't say, what job she would "of course" have to give up. I think it's also important that this is her MIL, and not her own mother, who needs care.
What you have done for your mother is admirable.