Get Paid to Care for Your Elderly Parent in Nevada
Nevada lets an adult child be paid to care for an elderly parent through self-directed Personal Care Services (an entitlement with no waitlist) and the Home & Community Based Waiver for the Frail Elderly. Spouses, legal guardians, and parents of minor children cannot be the paid caregiver.
This guide covers what Nevada 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.
Nevada pays family caregivers $12–$20 per hour through the Personal Care Services (self-directed) and the Frail Elderly Waiver option within the Home and Community Based Waiver for the Frail Elderly (FE Waiver). Your parent must meet a nursing-facility level of care but prefer to remain at home.
Nevada's Main Program: Personal Care Services (self-directed) and the Frail Elderly Waiver
Personal Care Services (self-directed) and the Frail Elderly Waiver is a self-directed option within Nevada's Home and Community Based Waiver for the Frail Elderly (FE 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 Nevada
| Region | Typical Hourly Rate | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Las Vegas / Clark County | $12–$20/hr | Largest provider network; both PCS and FE Waiver available |
| Reno / Washoe County | $12–$19/hr | Northern Nevada hub for ADSD and agency providers |
| Rural Nevada | $11–$18/hr | Fewer agencies; FE Waiver slots help cover remote counties |
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, legal guardians, and parents of minor children are excluded, but other adult relatives such as an adult child may be paid as the caregiver. Always confirm the current rules with Nevada Division of Health Care Financing and Policy (Nevada Medicaid) before you count on a specific arrangement.
Eligibility Requirements
Your Parent Must:
- Be enrolled in full Nevada Medicaid (not just a savings program)
- Meet the clinical criteria for a nursing-facility level of care
- Be enrolled in the Home and Community Based Waiver for the Frail Elderly (FE Waiver) (or its self-directed option)
- Live in Nevada 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 agency
How to Apply: Step-by-Step
- Apply for Nevada Medicaid. Apply online at accessnevada.dwss.nv.gov or call 1-800-992-0900. 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 Home and Community Based Waiver for the Frail Elderly (FE Waiver).
- Enroll in the waiver. Once deemed eligible, your parent is enrolled in the Home and Community Based Waiver for the Frail Elderly (FE Waiver) and assigned a case manager or care coordinator.
- Request the self-directed (PCS / HCBW-FE) 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 agency. 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 Nevada's caregiver-pay programs and other benefits.
Check Eligibility NowOther Programs That May Pay Nevada 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, Nevada'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 1-775-687-4210.
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 Nevada Caregivers Are Actually Earning
At 30 hours per week and about $16 per hour, you would earn roughly $2,080 per month. At 40 hours per week and $20 per hour, earnings reach about $3,466 per month — around $41,600 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
- Nevada Division of Health Care Financing and Policy (Nevada Medicaid): dhcfp.nv.gov | 1-800-992-0900
- Apply for Medicaid: accessnevada.dwss.nv.gov
- State aging services: adsd.nv.gov | 1-775-687-4210
- Eldercare Locator (find local help): eldercare.acl.gov | 1-800-677-1116
- Medicaid (federal): medicaid.gov
Frequently Asked Questions
Paid family caregivers in Nevada generally earn roughly $12 to $20 per hour through Medicaid Personal Care Services or the Frail Elderly Waiver. The exact rate depends on the provider agency and the assessed hours of care.
Personal Care Services (PCS) is a statewide Medicaid benefit that pays for in-home help with daily activities to delay nursing-home placement. PCS offers a self-directed option, letting the recipient hire and manage their own qualified caregiver, and it is an entitlement with no waiting list.
No. Nevada excludes spouses, legal guardians, and parents of minor children from being the paid caregiver under PCS and the Frail Elderly Waiver. Other relatives, such as an adult child, can usually be hired and paid if they enroll as a qualified provider.
The Home and Community Based Waiver for the Frail Elderly (FE Waiver) is Nevada's main HCBS waiver that can pay family caregivers, alongside the state-plan Personal Care Services benefit. Both allow self-direction.
Apply for Medicaid online through Access Nevada, then request a Personal Care Services assessment by calling Nevada Medicaid at 1-800-992-0900. For waiver and aging services, contact the Aging and Disability Services Division (ADSD) at 1-775-687-4210.
Yes. A parent with dementia who qualifies for Medicaid can receive Personal Care Services or Frail Elderly Waiver care, and an eligible adult child can be the paid, self-directed 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 Nevada Division of Health Care Financing and Policy (Nevada Medicaid). Sources: dhcfp.nv.gov · adsd.nv.gov.