(HealthNewsDigest.com) - There are millions of Americans struggling to care for their aging parents or grandparents and as baby boomers turn 70 for the first time this year that number will climb even higher.

Fortunately, there is a little known Medicaid provision that can pay many family members who are struggling to take care of their elderly loved ones.
"Medicaid doesn't advertise their services, so many families don't realize there is help for them," said Ginalisa Monterroso, CEO of Medicaid Advisory Group. "Under this Medicaid provision, a parent or aging family member on Medicaid can pay their children or any family member for the time they spend taking care of them, as long as they are not a spouse."
The provision is called the Consumer Directed Personal Assistance Program or CDPAP, which lets Medicaid recipients decide who takes are of them. It can include a son or daughter, aunt or uncle, as long as they don't live in your home.
Monterosso says this provision takes the fear and burden away from sending a loved one into a nursing home where the caregivers are strangers. Under this provision, the Medicaid recipient can decide who they want caring for them.
"It's a stepping stone to help caregivers and the families involved to make their lives just a little easier," said Monterosso. "The hourly pay rate is between $10 to $12 an hour, depending on the quality of care that Medicaid assigns."

Medicaid Advisory Group has helped many families apply and qualify for this Medicaid provision, including Cynthia Diaz of New York. She applied for the program and is using the pay to hire a church deacon who is caring for her aging aunt and uncle.

"It's made a major difference. I can now continue practicing law. I can continue doing the work that is required of me in terms of ministering and providing pastoral care,"Diaz told CBS 2 in New York.So who is eligible to become a caregiver?
Monterosso says participants must be a US resident or citizen; They must have a Medicaid number and valid social security number or EIN number. And the caregiver can be anyone but a spouse.
"This program is included in the benefit package for both mainstream Medicaid Managed Care and Managed Long Term Care," Monterosso said. "It can also help people who have both Medicaid and Medicare."
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