Grandparent Support Services

The Need for Respite and Supplemental Services:

Respite care is a SHORT-TERM option designed to provide a break, or a time of caregiver relief, from the constant physical and emotional stress of an older person caring for a child especially children with skilled needs. An occasional break from caregiving enables the exhausted caregiver to regroup both physically and emotionally from his/her caregiving responsibilities.

The program offers an opportunity for grandparents or relative caregivers to receive respite and/or supplemental services from an approved community services provider for a child who 18 years of age or younger, who is referred to as the care recipient. The program may pay for respite services. Respite care services include, but are not limited to: limited Camperships and Day care. Funds may be used for daytime or overnight respite.

The Area Agency may request that the applicant share in the cost of the service unless the applicant’s income is below federal poverty level. Please talk with the Area Agency on Aging Caregiver Program staff for more details.
Supplemental Services are one time health-related items or service options designed to help “fill the gap” when there is a need or there are no other ways to obtain the service. Supplemental services will help improve the quality of life for the care recipient and help to alleviate the strain on older caregivers that care for children. The program may pay for supplemental services. Supplemental services include, but are not limited to receiving home safety/modifications and medical equipment.

The Area Agency may request that the applicant share in the cost of the service unless the applicant’s income is below federal poverty level. Direct payment to a caregiver regardless of licensure is prohibited. Please talk with the Area Agency on Aging Caregiver Program staff for more details.

Eligibility to receive Respite and/or Supplemental Services

Definition: The term “Grandparent” or and “Relative Caregiver” means a grandparent, stepgrandparent or a relative of a child by blood or marriage, who is 60 years of age or older and

• Lives with the child;
• Is the primary caregiver of the child ( 18 years of age or younger) because the biological or adoptive parents are unable or unwilling to serve as primary caregiver of the child and;
• Has legal relationship to the child, as such legal custody or guardianship, or is raising the child informally. Priority will be given to older individuals with greatest social and economic need, with particular attention to low-income older individuals and older individuals providing care and support to persons with mental retardation and related developmental disabilities. Please note that any child 19 years of age or older is not covered by this program.

Income:
Income will be self-declared (proof of income will not be required). If the grandparent or relative caregiver has income at or below federal poverty level, he or she will be considered a priority for receiving services.
The following are considered income: Social Security, Supplemental Security, Railroad Retirement income; pensions; wages; interest; dividends; net rental income; veteran’s benefits; and any other payments received on a one-time or recurring basis. If accounts are jointly owned between the grandparent/relative caregiver and another person such as the spouse, 50% of the total interest income in the account will be counted as the grandparents/ relative caregiver’s income.

PLEASE NOTE: Any income received for the child, for example, child support, social security survivors benefits etc. will not be included as income. *PLEASE NOTE NOT ALL SERVICES ARE AVAILABLE IN EACH REGION.