Do you take care of household responsibilities for a loved one? Do you help your loved one get ready for the day or ready for bed at the end of the day? Do you bring your loved one to doctor's appointments? Do you talk with doctors and nurses to make sure your loved one is being properly cared for? Do you handle your loved one's finances or legal matters? Do you take time out of your day to make sure your loved one is not isolated and alone? If you answered yes to any of the above, you are a caregiver! Caregivers have a wide range of responsibilities but ultimately ensure services and safety while caring for their loved ones. More information on being a caregiver can be found here.
Very few programs pay family members or friends on a regular basis to provide care. Sometimes caregiving families may obtain financial relief for specific purposes, such as for respite care or to purchase goods and services, and in some cases, pay for caregiving. These options may be available through your Managed Care Organization (MCO) if your care recipient is on Managed Long-Term Services and Supports (MLTSS)
Caregivers come in all shapes, sizes and distances! Long-distance caregivers can assist their loved ones with coordination of care, they can find their loved one a care manager, they can research and stay informed about services for their care recipient. Long distance caregivers help with money management, arrange in-home care, plan for emergencies, and much more. One of the most important things a long-distance caregiver can do is stay in touch with the care recipient and support their social and emotional needs.
New Jersey Family Leave Insurance Program provides New Jersey workers cash benefits for up to 12 weeks to bond with a newborn or newly placed adoptive, or foster child. This benefit is also available for those caring for a seriously ill (including with COVID-19) or injured loved one.
The New Jersey Paid Sick Leave law ensures that employers of all sizes must provide full-time, part-time, and temporary employees with up to 40 hours of earned sick leave per year to care for themselves or a loved one.
In New Jersey, respite is available to caregivers in different ways that depend on the clinical and financial eligibility of the care recipient.
Care2Caregivers is a free, confidential help line for anyone concerned about or caring for someone with memory issues. The hotline can be reached at 1-800-424-2494.
The Self-Help Group Clearing House helps people find and form all types of self-help support groups in order to provide hope, strength and experience to those in need in order to not feel alone.
Assistance with legal and financial issues relating to caregivers may be available through Legal Services of New Jersey which provides free legal assistance to low-income New Jerseyans for their civil legal problems through the coordination of the statewide Legal Services System. They have offices throughout the state:
Community Health Law Project is a statewide not-for-profit advocacy and legal service organization which provides legal representation and advocacy services to low-income individuals with disabilities and the frail elderly.