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How Much Do Family Members Get Paid for Caregiving in Illinois? · Home Care Powered By AUAF

• 0:13
  SPEAKER_00: Today, we're answering a question we hear constantly.
• 0:16
  SPEAKER_00: How much do family members get paid for caregiving in Illinois?
• 0:20
  SPEAKER_00: I'm Elena.
• 0:21
  SPEAKER_01: And I'm Brooks.
• 0:22
  SPEAKER_01: Let's start with the short version.
• 0:24
  SPEAKER_01: Elena.
• 0:25
  SPEAKER_00: Sure.
• 0:26
  SPEAKER_00: Family members hired by home care powered by AUAF as home care aides currently earn$21 an hour.
• 0:33
  SPEAKER_00: That's the rate as of October 2026.
• 0:36
  SPEAKER_01: So is that what everyone takes home each week?
• 0:40
  SPEAKER_00: No.
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  SPEAKER_00: And that's the important part.
• 0:42
  SPEAKER_00: Total pay depends on the hours in the plan of care, and the care coordination unit, the CCU, sets those hours.
• 0:50
  SPEAKER_00: So two families can see very different weekly totals.
• 0:53
  SPEAKER_01: People often think the state pays them directly.
• 0:56
  SPEAKER_01: Is that right?
• 0:58
  SPEAKER_00: Not quite.
• 0:59
  SPEAKER_00: Illinois doesn't pay family caregivers directly.
• 1:02
  SPEAKER_00: The Illinois Department on Aging funds the community care program, and the provider agency hires and pays the caregiver.
• 1:09
  SPEAKER_01: So how much the state pays you really comes down to two things.
• 1:14
  SPEAKER_00: Exactly.
• 1:15
  SPEAKER_00: Your employer's hourly rate and your approved hours.
• 1:18
  SPEAKER_01: What about those average numbers people see on job sites for caregivers in Chicago?
• 1:23
  SPEAKER_00: Those figures mix lots of employers and job types, so they won't tell you what you'll earn.
• 1:29
  SPEAKER_00: And nursing assistant pay is a different scale because nursing assistants do medical tasks that program aides never do.
• 1:36
  SPEAKER_01: So the honest answer has two parts.
• 1:39
  SPEAKER_00: Right.
• 1:40
  SPEAKER_00: First, ask the provider for its current hourly rate.
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  SPEAKER_00: Then, ask how many hours the plan of care allows.
• 1:46
  SPEAKER_01: Let's talk about who can actually be hired.
• 1:49
  SPEAKER_00: According to the Department on Aging's In-Home Service page, providers may hire a family member, a friend, a neighbor, or a legal guardian who qualifies.
• 1:59
  SPEAKER_01: And spouses?
• 2:00
  SPEAKER_00: There's a limit.
• 2:02
  SPEAKER_00: Under IDOA policy 2.2.101 on HCAs of Choice, updated in October 2025, a spouse, a power of attorney, or a representative payee can be hired only when the CCU documents extraordinary care in the plan of care.
• 2:20
  SPEAKER_01: And not every provider hires family members, right?
• 2:23
  SPEAKER_00: Right.
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  SPEAKER_00: So it's worth asking before you choose one.
• 2:27
  SPEAKER_01: Do caregivers need to be certified?
• 2:29
  SPEAKER_00: You don't need a nursing certificate.
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  SPEAKER_00: Instead, you pass background checks, train for 24 hours, and accept supervision from the agency.
• 2:38
  SPEAKER_01: What does the job actually involve?
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  SPEAKER_00: Non-medical help.
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  SPEAKER_00: Things like bathing, dressing, meals, lighthousekeeping, errands, and companionship.
• 2:48
  SPEAKER_00: AIDS never handle medicines or medical care, and under the same policy, they never provide overnight care.
• 2:55
  SPEAKER_01: Let's get specific.
• 2:56
  SPEAKER_01: What are caregivers not allowed to do?
• 2:59
  SPEAKER_00: Program AIDS give non-medical help only.
• 3:02
  SPEAKER_00: So they don't handle medicines, injections, tube feeding, wound care, or breathing treatments.
• 3:08
  SPEAKER_00: Medical needs go to licensed nurses or home health services that a doctor orders.
• 3:13
  SPEAKER_01: And the training doesn't stop after those first 24 hours, does it?
• 3:18
  SPEAKER_00: No.
• 3:18
  SPEAKER_00: Our page on paid caregiver qualifications covers every step, including the yearly training that follows.
• 3:25
  SPEAKER_01: Are there other things that affect pay?
• 3:27
  SPEAKER_00: A few.
• 3:28
  SPEAKER_00: If the caregiver lives with the participant, that may mean fewer hours for shared household chores.
• 3:34
  SPEAKER_00: Pay starts only after the CCU paperwork is done and the agency hires you, and there's no back pay for care given before hiring.
• 3:42
  SPEAKER_01: Okay, so how does someone actually get started?
• 3:46
  SPEAKER_00: First, the loved one has to qualify for the community care program.
• 3:50
  SPEAKER_00: They must be 60 or older, live in Illinois, and have non-exempt assets of$17,500 or less.
• 3:58
  SPEAKER_00: That figure was checked in October 2026.
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  SPEAKER_00: They also apply for Medicaid and enroll if they're eligible.
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  SPEAKER_01: And there was a recent change, too.
• 4:08
  SPEAKER_00: Yes.
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  SPEAKER_00: Since October 1st, 2026, only U.S.
• 4:12
  SPEAKER_00: citizens and certain eligible non-citizens qualify.
• 4:16
  SPEAKER_00: That's from an IDOA memo dated September 17, 2026.
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  SPEAKER_00: Families affected by that change can ask their local area agency on aging about other help.
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  SPEAKER_01: Before the steps, one more common question.
• 4:30
  SPEAKER_01: Can my wife be paid as my caregiver in Illinois?
• 4:33
  SPEAKER_00: Sometimes.
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  SPEAKER_00: A provider can hire a spouse only when the care coordination unit documents extraordinary care in the plan of care.
• 4:41
  SPEAKER_00: And the person receiving care must be 60 or older and qualify for the program, including Medicaid enrollment if they're eligible.
• 4:49
  SPEAKER_01: And what about care someone already gave before all this?
• 4:53
  SPEAKER_00: There's no back pay for that.
• 4:54
  SPEAKER_00: Paid care starts only after the CCU finishes the paperwork and the provider hires you.
• 5:00
  SPEAKER_00: So starting the application early helps when your loved one already needs regular help each week.
• 5:06
  SPEAKER_01: Then what are the steps?
• 5:07
  SPEAKER_00: Your loved one contacts the local care coordination unit.
• 5:11
  SPEAKER_00: A case manager completes the needs assessment.
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  SPEAKER_00: The CCU builds a plan of care with services and hours.
• 5:18
  SPEAKER_00: Your loved one picks a provider that hires family members.
• 5:21
  SPEAKER_00: And then you apply, pass checks, train, and start paid shifts.
• 5:26
  SPEAKER_01: So in the end, what you can make is just the hourly rate times the approved hours.
• 5:32
  SPEAKER_00: That's it.
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  SPEAKER_00: And remember, eligibility, services, and hours are decided by your care coordination unit.
• 5:39
  SPEAKER_00: The full article is on homecareid.com.
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  SPEAKER_01: This is general information, not personal tax, legal, or financial advice.
• 5:48
  SPEAKER_01: For your own situation, talk with your care coordination unit or the right professional.
• 5:53
  SPEAKER_00: This episode uses AI generated host voices.