Key Takeaways
- Care recipients are mostly older adults with nearly half age 75 or older and face multiple chronic health conditions.
- Among all caregivers, 32% use paid help, and 53% have unpaid help.
Carolina’s care journey began in 2016 when both her parents were hospitalized – her father with rhabdomyolysis and her mother with pneumonia. Now, both her parents are 90 years old and live with kidney disease. Her mom is legally blind and has Alzheimer’s, and her dad has diabetes.
After the hospital stay, Carolina wanted to ensure her parents would be able to live in their home instead of being discharged to a facility. To do this, she had to become their full-time caregiver. Designated as their direct care worker (DCW) through Medicaid, Carolina takes care of all aspects of her parents’ lives including transportation to and from medical appointments, cooking, cleaning, and managing medications. In addition, she drives back and forth from her own home to theirs.
Today, Carolina’s parents are also supported by another DCW provided through Medicaid. Carolina needed more help because she is also a caregiver to her husband, a disabled veteran. Whenever Caolina is at her parents’, she is nervous about leaving her husband alone and is checking in on him constantly. The additional DCW allows her the time and ability to care for her husband as well as for her parents.
As Carolina’s mom is a Spanish speaker, it is vital for Carolina to attend her medical appoints to ensure translation of the healthcare providers instructions. Medicaid used to provide a stipend to support Carolina in transporting her mother, which was very helpful. However, this program is no longer available to Carolina.
Without the support of Medicaid, Carolina would need to provide around the clock care for both her parents, while also caring for her husband. She would eventually need to move her parents into her home, where she simply doesn’t have the space. It would also create significant financial hardships.
Carolina is a family caregiver from Arizona. Her story was collected as a part of the National Alliance for Caregiving Medicaid Makes Care Possible campaign.
