Get Paid to Care for Your Elderly Parent in Mississippi
Mississippi lets you be paid to care for an aging parent through the Independent Living Waiver's self-directed Personal Choices option and the Elderly & Disabled Waiver. Adult children and certain other relatives can be hired, but they generally cannot live in the same home as the parent receiving care.
This guide covers what Mississippi 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.
Mississippi pays family caregivers $11–$18 per hour through the Independent Living Waiver Personal Choices (self-directed personal care) option within the Mississippi Independent Living (IL) Waiver and Elderly and Disabled (E&D) Waiver. Your parent must meet a nursing-facility level of care but prefer to remain at home.
Mississippi's Main Program: Independent Living Waiver Personal Choices (self-directed personal care)
Independent Living Waiver Personal Choices (self-directed personal care) is a self-directed option within Mississippi's Mississippi Independent Living (IL) Waiver and Elderly and Disabled (E&D) 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 Mississippi
| Region | Typical Hourly Rate | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Jackson Metro (Central Mississippi) | $12–$18/hr | Self-directed Personal Choices budget averages about $1,500/month for personal care |
| Gulf Coast (Biloxi, Gulfport) | $11–$17/hr | Coastal personal care attendant rates within waiver monthly budgets |
| Delta / Rural North Mississippi | $11–$16/hr | Rural rates trend lower; managed within the participant's monthly allowance |
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
Spouses cannot be paid as caregivers in Mississippi, but adult children and other relatives such as sons, daughters, siblings, and grandchildren may be hired if they do not live in the same home as the waiver recipient. Always confirm the current rules with Mississippi Division of Medicaid before you count on a specific arrangement.
Eligibility Requirements
Your Parent Must:
- Be enrolled in full Mississippi Medicaid (not just a savings program)
- Meet the clinical criteria for a nursing-facility level of care
- Be enrolled in the Mississippi Independent Living (IL) Waiver and Elderly and Disabled (E&D) Waiver (or its self-directed option)
- Live in Mississippi 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 the Personal Choices fiscal intermediary
How to Apply: Step-by-Step
- Apply for Mississippi Medicaid. Apply online at medicaid.ms.gov/programs/elderly-and-disabled-waiver or call 1-800-421-2408. 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 Mississippi Independent Living (IL) Waiver and Elderly and Disabled (E&D) Waiver.
- Enroll in the waiver. Once deemed eligible, your parent is enrolled in the Mississippi Independent Living (IL) Waiver and Elderly and Disabled (E&D) Waiver and assigned a case manager or care coordinator.
- Request the self-directed (IL / E&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 the Personal Choices fiscal intermediary. 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 Mississippi's caregiver-pay programs and other benefits.
Check Eligibility NowOther Programs That May Pay Mississippi 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, Mississippi'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 1-844-822-4622.
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 Mississippi Caregivers Are Actually Earning
At 30 hours per week and about $14 per hour, you would earn roughly $1,820 per month. At 40 hours per week and $18 per hour, earnings reach about $3,120 per month — around $37,440 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
- Mississippi Division of Medicaid: medicaid.ms.gov | 1-800-421-2408
- Apply for Medicaid: medicaid.ms.gov/programs/elderly-and-disabled-waiver
- State aging services: www.mdhs.ms.gov/aging | 1-844-822-4622
- Eldercare Locator (find local help): eldercare.acl.gov | 1-800-677-1116
- Medicaid (federal): medicaid.gov
Frequently Asked Questions
Mississippi waiver caregivers are typically paid within a monthly self-directed budget that averages about $1,500, which works out to roughly $11 to $18 per hour. Actual pay depends on authorized hours.
The Independent Living (IL) Waiver is a home and community-based Medicaid program for individuals with severe orthopedic or neurological impairments. Its Personal Choices option lets participants self-direct and hire their own attendants.
No, spouses are not allowed to be paid as family caregivers in Mississippi. Adult children, siblings, grandchildren, and in-laws may qualify if they do not live in the same home as the waiver recipient.
The Independent Living (IL) Waiver, through its self-directed Personal Choices option, and the Elderly & Disabled (E&D) Waiver allow participant-directed personal care. Through these, an adult child can be hired as a paid attendant.
Contact the Mississippi Access to Care (MAC) Center at 1-844-822-4622 or the Division of Medicaid at 1-800-421-2408 to start a waiver application. You can also reach out to your regional Division of Medicaid office for an eligibility screening.
Yes, if the parent qualifies for the E&D or IL Waiver and meets nursing-facility level of care, an eligible relative such as an adult child may be hired and paid for personal care. The attendant generally must not live in the same home and must pass a background check.
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 Mississippi Division of Medicaid. Sources: medicaid.ms.gov · www.mdhs.ms.gov.