American Elder Care Research Organization Releases Their Paid Caregiver Program Locator
(PRWEB) September 16, 2015 -- The American Elder Care Research Organization (AECRO), the organization that publishes PayingForSeniorCare.com, has released the Paid Caregiver Program Locator, a free online interactive tool that helps families identify programs that provide financial assistance to caregivers to help them in caring for their aging loved ones. For the 34 million Americans who provide unpaid care to seniors each year, the Paid Caregiver Program Locator may offer much needed relief. To use the tool, one simply answers a few questions about their situation and the Paid Caregiver Program Locator identifies and concisely explains those programs that specifically apply to the user’s situation, their benefits, and eligibility requirements.
"Many caregivers today face both financial and time constraints. With the release of our Program Locator, we hope to address both of these challenges." says AECRO’s Director of Operations, Alex Guerrero. He expands: “Nationwide, there are over 100 programs that can pay family members, or friends, for their caregiving efforts. However, finding these programs and understanding their complex eligibility requirements is a major challenge, especially for time-constrained caregivers. Our Program Locator will quickly and easily educate families about the financial options available to compensate them for their caregiving efforts."
Further underscoring the need for this free service is the finding from the National Alliance for Caregivers' 2015 Survey that says over 84 percent of caregivers could use more information or help on caregiving topics. Casey DeLuca, Associate Director of Training, at Center for Participant-Directed Services at Boston College, observed that AECRO's new Paid Caregiver Program Locator is "really easy to use and consumer friendly."
One family caregiver’s personal story illustrates the enormous financial impact these programs can have for seniors and their caregivers. When Sheryl became a family caregiver for her father, Roger, following his stroke in 2014, she had to leave her work to care for Roger fulltime in his rural Indiana home. Together, they survived on his Social Security income and a modest pension, totaling less than $2,500 / month. Through using AECRO’s Paid Caregiver Program Locator, Sheryl learned that the VA Pension Benefit could help them. With the assistance of a VA Benefits Adviser, Roger applied for a VA Pension with Aid and Attendance. In three months, Sheryl became a paid caregiver for Roger and they increased their income by $1,788 per month, or $21,466 annually representing a 71 percent increase in their household income.
The Paid Caregiver Program Locator can be found at the following URL.
http://www.payingforseniorcare.com/paid-caregiver/program-locator.html
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About the American Elder Care Research Organization
American Elder Care Research Organization (AECRO) publishes and maintains the website PayingforSeniorCare.com. Through this free and open website, AECRO helps American families and caregivers locate information on all public and private programs available to assist in covering the cost of long term care for elderly loved ones. The website publishes plain-English explanations of over 400 financial assistance programs.
AECRO founder, Alex Guerrero discovered the tremendous need for clear and simple program information through his personal experience creating a sustainable financial plan for an aging loved one’s care. Since the website launched in 2008, it has helped thousands of families, in all 50 states, to find answers to their queries on how to help love ones to age with comfort and dignity, while assisting in finding the financial resources to make it possible.
Alex Guerrero, American Elder Care Research Organization, http://www.payingforseniorcare.com, +1 (415) 287-3486, [email protected]
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