Get Paid to Care for Your Elderly Parent in Idaho
Idaho's Aged & Disabled (A&D) Medicaid Waiver lets eligible seniors self-direct personal care and hire a friend or relative, such as an adult child, as a paid caregiver. The state-plan Personal Care Services program does not offer self-direction, so the A&D Waiver is the route for paying a family member.
This guide covers what Idaho family caregivers need to know: the program structure, pay rates, who can be paid, eligibility, how to apply, and other programs that may supplement your income.
Idaho pays family caregivers $13–$21 per hour through the Aged & Disabled Waiver Self-Directed Services option within the Idaho Aged and Disabled (A&D) Medicaid Waiver. Your parent must meet a nursing-facility level of care but prefer to remain at home.
Idaho's Main Program: Aged & Disabled Waiver Self-Directed Services
Aged & Disabled Waiver Self-Directed Services is a self-directed option within Idaho's Idaho Aged and Disabled (A&D) Medicaid Waiver, which provides home and community-based care for seniors and adults with disabilities who meet a nursing-facility level of need. Under self-direction, your parent (or you as their authorized representative) can hire, train, schedule, and supervise the personal-care attendant — and that attendant can be you, an adult child.
What the Program Pays For
Authorized self-directed services typically include:
- Personal care: bathing, grooming, dressing, oral hygiene
- Toileting assistance and incontinence care
- Mobility help: transferring, positioning, ambulation support
- Meal preparation and feeding assistance
- Light housekeeping directly related to health and safety
- Medication reminders (not administration, which requires a nurse)
- Supervision for individuals with cognitive impairment, including dementia
Pay Rates Across Idaho
| Region | Typical Hourly Rate | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Boise / Treasure Valley | $14–$21/hr | Self-direct A&D Waiver personal care; spouse excluded, adult child allowed |
| North Idaho (Coeur d'Alene) | $13–$20/hr | A&D Waiver slots are limited and may have a waiting list |
| Eastern / Rural Idaho | $13–$19/hr | Rates vary by region; FMS handles payroll and tax withholding |
Rates are set within the participant's approved plan-of-care budget and the state's limits; the figures above are typical ranges, not guarantees.
Who Can Be Paid
Under the A&D Waiver self-direction option an adult child or other relative may be hired and paid, but a spouse is prohibited from being a paid caregiver. Always confirm the current rules with Idaho Department of Health and Welfare, Division of Medicaid before you count on a specific arrangement.
Eligibility Requirements
Your Parent Must:
- Be enrolled in full Idaho Medicaid (not just a savings program)
- Meet the clinical criteria for a nursing-facility level of care
- Be enrolled in the Idaho Aged and Disabled (A&D) Medicaid Waiver (or its self-directed option)
- Live in Idaho in a community setting (not a nursing home)
- Be able to direct their own care, or have a legal/authorized representative who can
You (the Caregiver) Must:
- Be 18 years of age or older
- Meet the program's relationship rules (see above)
- Pass a criminal background check and registry search
- Complete any required caregiver orientation and training
- Be legally authorized to work in the United States
- Submit timesheets through a financial management service
How to Apply: Step-by-Step
- Apply for Idaho Medicaid. Apply online at healthandwelfare.idaho.gov/services-programs/medicaid-health/apply-medicaid-elderly-or-disabled-adults or call 1-877-456-1233. Your parent must meet income and asset limits.
- Request a long-term-services assessment. Contact your local Medicaid or aging office to request a comprehensive functional assessment that determines whether your parent qualifies for the Idaho Aged and Disabled (A&D) Medicaid Waiver.
- Enroll in the waiver. Once deemed eligible, your parent is enrolled in the Idaho Aged and Disabled (A&D) Medicaid Waiver and assigned a case manager or care coordinator.
- Request the self-directed (A&D Waiver) option. During care planning, ask specifically for the consumer/self-directed service model and state that you, the adult child, want to be the hired caregiver.
- Enroll with a financial management service. Complete enrollment paperwork — W-4, I-9, and background authorization — so payroll, tax withholding, and timesheets are handled for you.
- Complete orientation. Finish any state-required caregiver orientation covering personal-care techniques, emergency procedures, and reporting.
- Begin care and submit timesheets. Provide care per the authorized plan and submit electronic timesheets; payroll is processed on a regular cycle with taxes withheld.
Check Your Parent's Eligibility
Our free Benefits Checker helps identify whether your parent qualifies for Idaho's caregiver-pay programs and other benefits.
Check Eligibility NowOther Programs That May Pay Idaho Family Caregivers
VA Veteran-Directed Care & PCAFC
If your parent is a veteran enrolled in VA healthcare, the Veteran-Directed Care program provides a monthly budget that can pay family caregivers, and the Program of Comprehensive Assistance for Family Caregivers (PCAFC) offers a monthly stipend for eligible primary caregivers. Contact the caregiver support coordinator at your parent's VA medical center or call 1-855-260-3274.
Personal Care Agreement (Private Pay)
If your parent does not qualify for Medicaid, a formal written Personal Care Agreement lets them pay you from their own funds at fair-market rates. Drafted with an elder-law attorney, it must be prospective and reasonable — and it keeps payments from being treated as "gifts" during the Medicaid 5-year look-back.
State Respite & Caregiver Support
Through the National Family Caregiver Support Program, Idaho's Area Agencies on Aging fund respite, training, and counseling. These rarely pay ongoing wages but reduce your out-of-pocket costs. Find your local agency through the Eldercare Locator (1-800-677-1116) or 1-877-471-2777.
Tax Implications for Family Caregivers
- W-2 wages: The financial management agency issues you a W-2; federal income tax, Social Security, and Medicare are withheld.
- IRS Notice 2014-7: If you live in the same home as your parent (the Medicaid waiver participant), your self-directed wages may be excludable from federal gross income. Consult a CPA before filing — see IRS guidance on Medicaid waiver payments.
- Earned Income Tax Credit: These wages count as earned income and may qualify you for the EITC.
Maintain daily logs of services provided — date, time in, time out, and a brief description. Medicaid audits self-directed arrangements, and accurate records protect both you and your parent.
What Idaho Caregivers Are Actually Earning
At 30 hours per week and about $17 per hour, you would earn roughly $2,210 per month. At 40 hours per week and $21 per hour, earnings reach about $3,640 per month — around $43,680 per year before taxes.
For comparison, a nursing home costs far more per year, and agency home care runs roughly $30–$40 per hour. A self-directed arrangement lets your parent receive care from someone they trust, while you earn income that partially replaces what you may have given up to provide care.
Contact Information
- Idaho Department of Health and Welfare, Division of Medicaid: healthandwelfare.idaho.gov/services-programs/medicaid-health/about-medicaid-elderly-or-adults-disabilities | 1-877-456-1233
- Apply for Medicaid: healthandwelfare.idaho.gov/services-programs/medicaid-health/apply-medicaid-elderly-or-disabled-adults
- State aging services: aging.idaho.gov | 1-877-471-2777
- Eldercare Locator (find local help): eldercare.acl.gov | 1-800-677-1116
- Medicaid (federal): medicaid.gov
Frequently Asked Questions
Idaho family caregivers paid through Medicaid generally earn roughly $13 to $21 per hour, depending on the program, agency, and region. Under the A&D Waiver self-direction option, the participant's individual budget and the financial management service determine the actual wage.
The Aged and Disabled (A&D) Waiver is Idaho's 1915(c) Medicaid waiver providing home and community-based services to seniors and adults with disabilities who would otherwise need nursing-home care. It allows participants to self-direct some benefits, including hiring their own personal care provider.
No. Under the Idaho A&D Waiver self-direction option, a spouse is prohibited from being hired as the paid caregiver. However, an adult child, other relative, or friend may be hired and paid. A financial management service handles the payroll, taxes, and employment paperwork.
The Aged and Disabled (A&D) Medicaid Waiver is the program that lets family caregivers get paid through self-direction. Idaho's separate state-plan Personal Care Services program uses agency-employed assistants and does not offer self-direction.
Apply for Medicaid for elderly or disabled adults through the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare, online via idalink or at a local field office; benefits customer service is 1-877-456-1233. After approval, ask about A&D Waiver self-direction. The Idaho Commission on Aging / ADRC is at 1-877-471-2777.
Yes. If a parent with dementia qualifies for the A&D Waiver, an adult child can be hired and paid to provide personal care through self-direction. A spouse, however, cannot be the paid caregiver.
Related Guides
- How to Get Paid to Care for Your Parent (National Overview)
- How to Apply for Medicaid for an Elderly Parent
- Caregiver Tax Deductions 2026
- VA Benefits for Elderly Parents
- Power of Attorney for an Elderly Parent
- Medicaid Spend-Down Rules
This guide is general information, not legal or financial advice. Program names, pay rates, and eligibility rules change and vary by county — confirm details with Idaho Department of Health and Welfare, Division of Medicaid. Sources: healthandwelfare.idaho.gov · aging.idaho.gov.