Get Paid to Care for Your Elderly Parent in Maine
Maine lets you be paid to care for an aging parent through MaineCare's Consumer Directed Attendant Services and the participant-directed option of the Section 19 Home and Community Benefits Waiver. An adult child can be hired as a personal support specialist, provided they are not the parent's legal representative.
This guide covers what Maine 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.
Maine pays family caregivers $17–$27 per hour through the MaineCare Consumer Directed Attendant Services option within the Section 19 Home and Community Benefits for the Elderly and Adults with Disabilities Waiver. Your parent must meet a nursing-facility level of care but prefer to remain at home.
Maine's Main Program: MaineCare Consumer Directed Attendant Services
MaineCare Consumer Directed Attendant Services is a self-directed option within Maine's Section 19 Home and Community Benefits for the Elderly and Adults with Disabilities 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 Maine
| Region | Typical Hourly Rate | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Southern Maine (Portland, York County) | $19–$27/hr | Higher metro labor rates; attendants near top of range |
| Central Maine (Augusta, Bangor) | $17–$24/hr | Mid-range MaineCare reimbursement for personal support specialists |
| Northern / Rural Maine (Aroostook County) | $17–$22/hr | Rural rates trend toward the lower end of the scale |
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
Adult children can be hired and paid as long as they are not the member's legal representative; spouses are generally excluded, though a 2019 law lets spouses employed as personal support specialists provide certain extraordinary care. Always confirm the current rules with Maine Department of Health and Human Services, Office of MaineCare Services before you count on a specific arrangement.
Eligibility Requirements
Your Parent Must:
- Be enrolled in full Maine Medicaid (not just a savings program)
- Meet the clinical criteria for a nursing-facility level of care
- Be enrolled in the Section 19 Home and Community Benefits for the Elderly and Adults with Disabilities Waiver (or its self-directed option)
- Live in Maine 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 GT Independence
How to Apply: Step-by-Step
- Apply for Maine Medicaid. Apply online at www.mymaineconnection.gov or call 1-800-262-2232. 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 Section 19 Home and Community Benefits for the Elderly and Adults with Disabilities Waiver.
- Enroll in the waiver. Once deemed eligible, your parent is enrolled in the Section 19 Home and Community Benefits for the Elderly and Adults with Disabilities Waiver and assigned a case manager or care coordinator.
- Request the self-directed (CDAS) 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 GT Independence. 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 Maine's caregiver-pay programs and other benefits.
Check Eligibility NowOther Programs That May Pay Maine 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, Maine'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 1-877-353-3771.
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 Maine Caregivers Are Actually Earning
At 30 hours per week and about $22 per hour, you would earn roughly $2,860 per month. At 40 hours per week and $27 per hour, earnings reach about $4,680 per month — around $56,160 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
- Maine Department of Health and Human Services, Office of MaineCare Services: www.maine.gov/dhhs/oms | 1-800-262-2232
- Apply for Medicaid: www.mymaineconnection.gov
- State aging services: www.maine.gov/dhhs/oads | 1-877-353-3771
- Eldercare Locator (find local help): eldercare.acl.gov | 1-800-677-1116
- Medicaid (federal): medicaid.gov
Frequently Asked Questions
MaineCare personal support specialists in Maine typically earn roughly $17 to $27 per hour, with the average around $22 to $24. The exact rate depends on the authorized care plan and your region of the state.
Consumer Directed Attendant Services (CDAS) is a MaineCare program that lets eligible members select, hire, train, and manage their own personal care attendants. Many participants also self-direct care through the Section 19 Home and Community Benefits Waiver.
Spouses are generally excluded from being paid caregivers in Maine. However, a 2019 law allows spouses employed as personal support specialists to provide certain extraordinary Personal Care services in limited circumstances.
The Section 19 Home and Community Benefits for the Elderly and Adults with Disabilities Waiver, along with the Consumer Directed Attendant Services program, allows participant-directed care. Through these options, an adult child can be hired and paid as the caregiver.
Apply for MaineCare online at MyMaineConnection.gov or through the Office for Family Independence. For waiver and self-directed care options, contact the Aging and Disability Resource Center (ADRC) at 1-877-353-3771.
Yes. A parent with dementia who qualifies for the Section 19 Waiver or CDAS can direct their care and hire an adult child as a paid attendant, with an authorized representative assisting if the parent cannot manage the arrangement directly.
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 Maine Department of Health and Human Services, Office of MaineCare Services. Sources: www.maine.gov · www.maine.gov.