My wife is very ill and requires full-time care. I have been providing this for her. Now Worksource is threatening to take her stamps if I don't go to work. I cannot leave her, nor afford a caregiver. I can do it myself. How can I provide care and have it seen as my employment?
You are going to need a social worker to give you the stats on your own state and whether or not they will pay a spouse to stay home and do care. You wife must have many medical practioners with these dire diagnoses, and they can guide you in finding help and answer.
Usually the answer is no. And even if there is a yes, the pay is very minimal. Most who we see doing this are the children of elders and they often end up with Medicaid coming for claw back on any housing owned, and end homeless, ruined mental health, no money and no job history. We have actually sent some to shelters until they can get a minimal pay job and afford a room in someone else's home.
I think this is a bad plan. I think you need to find out all options here. I am so sorry you are dealing with this. Get a social worker involved who understands the programs in your state open to you.
I can't find info on what Agency oversees SNAP but I think where I live its Social Services. Talk to them.
Can you work remotely? A lot of places are hiring people to work from home.
I'm not sure how it works in your State but some States allow a person to be paid as a caregiver. I believe you have to put the person on Medicaid, however, check out everything with a hospital Social Worker.
I would check out the Department of Elderly Affairs and speak to a local State Rep and/or Senators. The laws are changing with Caregiver Acts being instituted all over the country.
I believe President Biden has come out with some new programs. Again, it varies from State-to-State. The whole country is in this position but there help out there. You just have to know what is available to you in your area.
You sound like a wonderful person. Ask your wife's primary care doctor, the nurse manager. Usually the nurses are very informed and knowledgeable.
There is home care too--speech, occupational therapies, physical therapy, nurse visitation. Your wife's primary care doc can assist you with this.
Also, call on your local Church people. I hope I was of some help to you.
is she on any type of ESRd program? Like going to a DaVita or Fresenius on a regular basis? Like once a week or more? If so, try to have her to get a fresh reevaluation or if she never has had one get her to be evaluated by them & asap. If she is ESRD she should be able to be diagnosed to be on a dialysis schedule. The State will want this to be on a “at home” dialysis as it’s way way cheaper and the upside is that is you should be able to be designated to be her primary care giver so cannot not be FT worker elsewhere, but she will need to have all her health chart update to show ESRD. The goal imho will be to split her care between at home oversight and at DaVia type of place as often as possible.
Listen the DaVita & Fresenius places make a lot of sweet sweet MediCARE $$d from this disease and they will do what is needed to get her signed up to be eligible for care, so imho it’s worth getting with them to get the paperwork done as they know what’s needed. Yes ya may need to drive from where you are towards Austin or towards SA (maybe I’m getting Burnet mixed up with burkburnet, lol, those are childhood memories). But those 2 corporations know precisely how to maneuver around how to get folks eligible for services & be ok for State programs and bill all to Medicare and any State programs as well.
It’s waaaay to complicated to DIY this. The DaVita or a Fresenius may suggest she sees a fresh group of MDs too. So be prepared for that, it’s to fatten up her health chart as it’s needed to get her “at need” diagnostic updated from ESRD specialists. They may do a site visit to your home to get speciality equipment and bedding for her and DME as well (like bedside potty, shower chair a lot depends on how frail she is). The initial diagnostic is when they can pile on “need” and billable to Medicare. Really you can go along with this. Please let us know what happens, & stay cool another as heat dome in TX!
Well done. The OP should take your sound advice about how it is in Texas.
~BC 7/31/2023
He doesn't qualify for FMLA. That program is for people who work and have to take time off to care for a sick family member.
The OP does not work. If he did he wouldn't be part of a Worksource program.
Here's the article
https://dustyjohnson.house.gov/media/weekly-column/tightening-snap-work-requirements-lift-americans-out-poverty-and-away
Poster words it rather odd saying if HE doesn't work it will cut of HER food stamps. If HE is the one required to work, they will disqualify him and stop his share of the Food Stamps. If she is also required to work, then both of them get disqualified. She can get exemption from her doctor if he believes her illness would prevent her from working. Same for him - if dr thinks her illness requires him to be in the home 24/7. There is a place on application to say you can't work and opportunity when asked about work history to say why you can't work, so it sound like a doctor has never signed the form in this particular situation. One or both of them doesn't have the exemption.
Your wife's SNAP (food stamps) benefit will not be affected if she is disabled because you don't work. If she is as sick as you say she is on regular SSDI (Social Security Disability Insurance). If she didn't pay taxes for ten years or more or never worked at all she would be put on SSI (Social Security Insurance). SSI comes with Medicaid. Sometimes SSDI does to if the payment is low enough.
You are considered an ABAWD (Able Bodied Adult Without Dependents). If you live in a red state it's going to be hard for you. These states don't do much for grown men (or women) who don't work. They don't do much for the ones who do.
You may qualify for exemption if you live in certain areas. Ask your caseworker.
Your wife's doctors will also have to make an assessment and say that her conditions require a caregiver to be home with her 24/7.
Good luck to you and your wife.