Ensuring caregivers of the elderly enjoy a care-free vacation

According to the Caregiving in the U.S. 2020 report, more than one in five Americans are acting as a caregiver to a loved one. Many times, family members take on this critical role at the expense of their own financial and physical wellbeing. Independent homecare agency Assisted Living Services Inc. (ALS) in Cheshire, Westport and Putnam, Connecticut is ensuring that all caregivers get away this summer, while getting paid by the State.

Assisted Living Services is a credentialed provider for the Adult Family Living/Foster Caregiver (AFL) program, a program that helps frail elderly individuals to remain living in private homes instead of moving into assisted living communities or nursing homes. This program works by providing financial assistance and support for family members or friends that act as both primary in-home caregivers of an elderly individual.
As an added and timely benefit, many seniors who participate in the AFL program are eligible to receive a significant amount of respite coverage on either an hourly or temporary live-in basis, while their family caregiver is travelling for summer vacation.

“If you are caring for an elderly parent, taking a vacation can seem like an impossibility,” said Mario D’Aquila, MBA, chief operating officer at ALS. “The Adult Family Caregiver program gives people the necessary time away, while their elderly loved one is safe and secure at home.”

D’Aquila notes that the AFL Program offers four levels of compensation for care providers based on the total activities of daily living needed for the aging individual. The family caregiver must work through an agency acting as an intermediary, like Assisted Living Services. What’s more, the income is tax-free as a difficulty of care stipend.

“This is a perfect initiative for those family members or friends who often have to cut back on working hours, take a leave of absence, or quit their job entirely when caring for an aging relative,” said D’Aquila. “When totaled, a caregiver may earn up to $29,382 per year.”

Further, D’Aquila notes that many caregivers are still working full-time jobs from home, or part-time jobs, while simultaneously managing their senior relative or friend under the same roof. Here, the AFL Program can serve as a way to help deal with the nation’s rising inflation rates and ongoing turbulent economy by providing financial stability through additional income.

The AFL program is open to Connecticut residents statewide who are eligible for the Connecticut Home Care Program for Elders (CHCPE) or the Personal Care Assistance (PCA) program. Care recipients must have both a functional and financial need for care and the caregiver cannot be a legally liable relative, such as a spouse. For a full listing of eligibility requirements, or apply for an assessment, visit the Connecticut Department of Social Services website.