The Cost Of Becoming A Full Time Care Giver

Care home fees and at-home care fees can be expensive. As a result, many people take on the role of carer themselves. However, becoming a full-time carer comes with its costs too. These are worth weighing up before taking the decision to become a full time carer yourself.

Giving up work to care

If you currently work, you may have to consider giving it up in order to become a full-time carer. While you’re entitled to various benefits to live on as a carer, these may not be worth giving up your job for.

Working part-time may still be an option to help supplement your income – you may be able to hire temporary at-home care while you’re working or you may have the ability to work from home. Many people on medium to higher paid jobs can benefit from doing this, but if you’re on a low paid job you may not find that it is worth it (in this case you may be better off looking into social security schemes).

Take time to explore state and federal benefits so that you know what you’re entitled to. For those living in Florida, it could be worth checking out this guide to caregiver funding assistance in Florida. 

Finding funding for equipment

In order to provide care, you may need to invest in certain equipment. This could include a lift, a catheter or a monitor, depending on the type of condition or illness that your loved one has. 

By shopping around, you can usually save money on such equipment. There may also be grants and other financial assistance programs out there worth looking into, which could be useful for more expensive specialist equipment. 

Making necessary home improvements

Some conditions may require you to make improvements to your home such as installing a walk-in shower, installing grab bars or installing a stair-lift. These improvements could help your loved one to get around the home more easily.

Such home improvements can be expensive. However, you may find that there are grants out there that can pay for these improvements (these grants may require you to be on a low income or may require your loved one to be registered as disabled). As with equipment, it’s worth also shopping around to compare rates offered by contractors. Of course, if you’re DIY savvy, you may be able to save money with DIY home improvements. 

Can I save money by hiring a carer/using a care home?

You probably won’t save money by hiring an in-house carer or putting your loved one into a care home. However, it could be worth considering flexible options such as handling some care yourself and relying on an at-home carer for other times. This could allow you to still continue working, while also providing care for your loved one. At the very least, it will give you a break, so that you don’t have the burden of providing full-time care – it’s important to not just consider what is affordable, but what is healthy for you and your loved one.