I'm living and caring for my fiance. I need help in finding financing to help pay bills as his caregiver.
He has been disabled since 1996. It was a work related injury to his back. All disc are gone. Three years ago he suffered a permanent brain injury that has caused seizures. The left front of his brain won't ever heal. He no longer can drive and must see several doctors monthly. I am doing all house work as well as taking care of him with meals, shopping, paying household bills. I am the caregiver. The both of us are fine with it but, we need more income to meet household bills. His health insurance was increased so his income is less. We just purchased a newer used car and I traded in my car on it. The last thing we need is to lose our car. The oil heating that we have can't even be covered on his income. Please notify me of where and what I need to do for training as well as certification that I can get paid for being his caregiver.
The course I took at the community college was a few weeks long, very intense with book work and lab at the facility and then we actually worked at a local nursing home for a week. Then after graduation, we were eligible to take the state boards and become certified. The certification is good for 2 years (at least in my state) but to renew it you have to work at an authorized job where you receive payment. I think there may have been a continuing education requirement as well. My license expired because I never worked at a paying job. I just used it for personal care of my own family members, so I'm not sure about the details.
There were some students in my class that signed up through the state employment commission and received the study manuals in advance and quite possibly a discount on the cost of the course. You might check into whether that is available in your area.
I'm sorry your boyfriend has so many health issues. I'm concerned they may be beyond the scope of the nurse asst. training. That is mostly for elderly related issues and dementia. It certainly would help you with the mechanics of care - changing beds, hygiene, personal care, transferring safely, cleaning catheters - that sort of thing.
Anyway, good luck. I personally don't know of any way that you can be paid as his caregiver except by him and you say he doesn't have much money. So I hope you have another resource available to you where you live. Is he by any chance a veteran?
Check with your local Council on Aging to see what they offer, such as an Aide coming to the house.
https://www.agingcare.com/local/Area-Agency-on-Aging
I believe that you will need training as a CNA, A Certified Nurses Assistant. How are you going to pay for this plus a new car with your financial situation?
One way of getting paid is for your boyfriend to pay you to be his Caregiver but that doesn't sound possible from what you had written.
Is your boyfriend getting Medicaid? Check with your State Medicaid office and tell them what you plan to do.... maybe they can guide you toward your goal... and recommend an Agency where you can work and be hired by your boyfriend but Agency gets paid by Medicaid, and you in turn get paid by the Agency. You need to check to see if it is possible for someone who is living with the patient to be paid... some States won't allow it. Anyway, check to see what type of programs the State offers, and ask if the State has the "Cash and Counseling" program that might help with funds.