Real caregivers who got paid
These are real people whose stories were published by news outlets and advocacy groups. We summarize briefly and link to the original; quotes are short and exact. Many stories show the hard parts too: cut hours, lapsed payments, appeals. Last checked 2026-10-15.
Thelma – Daughter caring for her mother, Hortense, who has advanced Alzheimer's
Florida Medicaid Long-Term Care (LTC) Waiver, via managed care plan
A managed care plan representative assured Thelma that if she left her job to care for her mother, she would be paid for 41 hours a week; she quit her job as a court reporter. The plan later cut hours, which were reinstated after a hearing.
Pay: $10.76/hour for 41 hours a week (as reported). Source: Florida Health Justice Project, 2024-02-16.
Diwantie Campayne – Daughter caring for her mother, who has dementia
Florida Medicaid managed long-term care (paid family caregiver hours)
“I'm keeping her out of a nursing home which is much more expensive to the state.”
Pay: Hours cut to 2 a day, later 40 hours/week of aide care after a hearing (as reported). Source: Florida Health Justice Project, 2024-02-17.
Theodora Harris – Daughter and sole caretaker for her mother after a stroke
Virginia Medicaid consumer-directed attendant care (DMAS, via PCG Public Partnerships)
Her Medicaid caregiver payments were cut off by mistake; after NBC12 contacted the state, DMAS apologized and reissued the checks.
Pay: $9/hour (as reported). Source: NBC12 (WWBT) 12 On Your Side.
Kacey Poynter – Mother caring for her 2-year-old son with a congenital brain malformation
Indiana Medicaid paid family caregiving (attendant care for a child)
She left her call-center job to care for her son at home, and Indiana's Medicaid program paid her for it, until the state announced cutbacks in 2024.
Pay: Paid by Indiana Medicaid (amount not stated in excerpt). Source: The New York Times, 2024-03-04.
Sandra Daniels – Caring for her sister Arlene and their 94-year-old mother
MassHealth Adult Foster Care, via Caregiver Homes
“This is a godsend.”
Pay: Daily stipend (company estimated about $15,000–$18,000 a year for caregivers then). Source: Taunton Daily Gazette, 2012-04-23.
Jenn Wilmot – Wife and full-time caregiver of Army veteran George Wilmot (100% disabled)
VA Program of Comprehensive Assistance for Family Caregivers (PCAFC)
“Does he need it? Oh, yeah. I know he does. But it's just too tiring to fight.”
She was in the VA caregiver program as George's full-time caregiver; after two years the Charleston VA dropped them, though George still needed constant help.
Pay: VA caregiver stipend, later revoked (as reported). Source: NPR (Quil Lawrence), 2018-05-21.
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