Costs for adult day services or assistance with activities of daily living can be very expensive. In addition to their caregiving responsibilities, caregivers often work outside of the home. Or, they may need support providing care but be unable to afford help. If you are caring for a spouse or loved one in your home, there may be help available that can lessen the financial burden. 

Select a topic below to learn more:


Michigan Home Help Services Program
The Home Help program is funded by Medicaid and is designed to give support to individuals who are unable to care for themselves properly at home. The program allows persons to hire an individual to help them, including a family member. To be eligible, the disabled individual must have Medicaid health insurance. If an individual is unable to perform basic daily living activities required to live independently without assistance, and no one is available to provide this help without pay, the Home Help program may help pay for someone to help with:

Eating or feeding
Toileting
Bathing
Grooming
Dressing
Transferring from one position to another
Moving around the home
Taking medicine
Cooking
Shopping for essential items
Doing laundry
Doing basic housework

The paid workers can be friends, relatives (not including a spouse), neighbors, or employees of home care agencies. To receive services under this program, you must be eligible for Medicaid, and need physical help to perform daily activities. 

To receive Home Help Services:
 You or a family member must apply for services for Medicaid through your county Department of Human Services office. To find the office nearest you, see the Department of Human Service website.
?    A caseworker will conduct an initial assessment and determine the number of care hours that can be paid for. A doctor must also certify there is a need for home care.
?    The care recipient can then hire a worker, which can be a family member. The amount of payment is limited, and will depend on how much help is needed. 


Dependent Care Credit

If you paid for daycare for a disabled spouse or dependent so you could work or look for work, you may be eligible for a federal income tax credit of up to $3,000 for one dependent or $6,000 for two dependents. The amount of the credit depends on your income, and can be up to 35 percent of your care expenses. 

Your work is for others, full or part time, or in your own business, or is a partnership,
 The care provided makes it possible for you to work or look for work,
 If the adult daycare provider is a son or daughter, they must be over the age of 19 and cannot be one of your dependents,
Your spouse or dependent is physically or mentally unable to care for himself or herself, and
You must have an earned income.

There are some limits on the amount of credit you can claim. Additional rules apply if you received dependent care benefits from your employer. For more information on the Child and Dependent Care Credit, see Internal Revenue Service Publication Form 503 and Form 2441 Form 2441.

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