What tasks does Michigan Home Help pay for?

The short answerHome Help pays for hands-on help with seven personal care tasks (bathing, dressing, eating, grooming, mobility, toileting and transferring) and five household tasks (housework, laundry, medication, meal preparation and shopping). The State pays only for a task the caseworker ranks 3 or higher on a 1 to 5 scale.

The tasks

The scale that decides what is paid

For each task, the Adult Services Worker ranks how much human help the person needs:

1. Independent
2. Needs verbal help: reminding, guiding or encouragement
3. Needs some hands-on help
4. Needs a great deal of help
5. Dependent

Only tasks ranked 3 or higher can be paid. A task ranked 2 means a caregiver who reminds and encourages but does not do the task is not paid for that task. This surprises many families, because verbal help is real work.

One personal care task has to qualify

To be eligible at all, the person has to be assessed as needing at least one personal care task ranked 3 or higher. If a personal care task ranks 3 or higher but is not one the State pays for, the person may still be eligible for household tasks that rank 3 or higher. The caseworker applies this.

How the hours are set

The State approves time task by task, not as one bucket of hours. The approved tasks and minutes add up to a monthly total. A different person with different needs, or the same person after a change in condition, can end up with a very different total.

When the person shares a home with others, State policy can reduce payment for household tasks that benefit everyone living there. Ask the caseworker how that works for your household.

What is not covered

• Tasks the State does not list, including companionship and supervision on their own.
• Tasks ranked 1 or 2.
• Care provided while the person is living in a hospital, nursing facility or similar facility.
• Time beyond the approved monthly total.

What this means for families

Keep a simple record of what help is needed and what the person can do alone, task by task. That is what the caseworker is measuring. We walk through how to prepare in How to prepare for the Michigan Home Help assessment.

This is general information, not legal, medical or benefits advice. The caseworker decides which tasks and how much time are approved for any person, and policy changes. Confirm with your county MDHHS office.