Get Paid to Care for Your Elderly Parent in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.'s Elderly and Persons with Physical Disabilities (EPD) Waiver includes a Services My Way self-direction option that lets a participant act as the common-law employer and hire and pay their own caregivers, including an adult child. Payroll and compliance are handled by a financial management agency such as GT Independence, and D.C. wages run higher than most states.
This guide covers what Washington, D.C. 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.
Washington, D.C. pays family caregivers $16–$28 per hour through the Elderly & Persons with Physical Disabilities Waiver – Services My Way option within the Elderly and Persons with Physical Disabilities (EPD) Waiver (1915(c) HCBS Medicaid waiver). Your parent must meet a nursing-facility level of care but prefer to remain at home.
Washington, D.C.'s Main Program: Elderly & Persons with Physical Disabilities Waiver – Services My Way
Elderly & Persons with Physical Disabilities Waiver – Services My Way is a self-directed option within Washington, D.C.'s Elderly and Persons with Physical Disabilities (EPD) Waiver (1915(c) HCBS 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 Washington, D.C.
| Region | Typical Hourly Rate | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| District-wide (Services My Way) | $16–$28/hr | Participant is the common-law employer and sets the worker's wage; GT Independence handles payroll |
| Wards 7 & 8 (East of the River) | $16–$26/hr | Apply through DACL's Aging & Disability Resource Center at 202-724-5626 |
| Wards 1–6 (NW/NE/Central) | $18–$28/hr | Participant-Directed Community Supports are similar to Personal Care Aide services |
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 hired and paid; adult children and other relatives may be hired as participant-directed workers. Always confirm the current rules with DC Department of Health Care Finance (DHCF) before you count on a specific arrangement.
Eligibility Requirements
Your Parent Must:
- Be enrolled in full Washington, D.C. Medicaid (not just a savings program)
- Meet the clinical criteria for a nursing-facility level of care
- Be enrolled in the Elderly and Persons with Physical Disabilities (EPD) Waiver (1915(c) HCBS Medicaid waiver) (or its self-directed option)
- Live in Washington, D.C. 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 Washington, D.C. Medicaid. Apply online at dhcf.dc.gov/page/epd-waiver-services or call 1-202-442-5988. 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 Elderly and Persons with Physical Disabilities (EPD) Waiver (1915(c) HCBS Medicaid waiver).
- Enroll in the waiver. Once deemed eligible, your parent is enrolled in the Elderly and Persons with Physical Disabilities (EPD) Waiver (1915(c) HCBS Medicaid waiver) and assigned a case manager or care coordinator.
- Request the self-directed (EPD) 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 Washington, D.C.'s caregiver-pay programs and other benefits.
Check Eligibility NowOther Programs That May Pay Washington, D.C. 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, Washington, D.C.'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 1-202-724-5626.
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 Washington, D.C. 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 $28 per hour, earnings reach about $4,853 per month — around $58,240 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
- DC Department of Health Care Finance (DHCF): dhcf.dc.gov/page/epd-waiver-services | 1-202-442-5988
- Apply for Medicaid: dhcf.dc.gov/page/epd-waiver-services
- State aging services: dacl.dc.gov/service/epd-waiver | 1-202-724-5626
- Eldercare Locator (find local help): eldercare.acl.gov | 1-800-677-1116
- Medicaid (federal): medicaid.gov
Frequently Asked Questions
Through the EPD Waiver's Services My Way option, family caregivers in D.C. are typically paid about $16–$28 per hour, reflecting the District's higher wage levels. The participant, as the common-law employer, sets the worker's wage within the approved Medicaid budget.
The Elderly and Persons with Physical Disabilities (EPD) Waiver is D.C.'s 1915(c) Medicaid long-term care program for residents who would otherwise need nursing-home care. Its Services My Way option lets participants self-direct their care and hire their own workers, including relatives.
No, a spouse cannot be hired and paid to provide care under the EPD Waiver. However, adult children and other family members may be hired and paid as participant-directed workers through Services My Way.
The Elderly and Persons with Physical Disabilities (EPD) Waiver, through its Services My Way self-direction option, lets family caregivers be paid. It is administered by the DC Department of Health Care Finance (DHCF).
Contact the Department of Aging and Community Living's Aging and Disability Resource Center at 1-202-724-5626 to start an EPD Waiver application, or reach DHCF at 1-202-442-5988. The applicant must meet nursing-home level-of-care criteria and DC Medicaid financial eligibility.
Yes. If your parent qualifies for the EPD Waiver at a nursing-home level of care, an adult child can be hired and paid through Services My Way to provide care, including dementia care. The participant or their representative serves as the common-law employer.
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 DC Department of Health Care Finance (DHCF). Sources: dhcf.dc.gov · dacl.dc.gov.