The real ways a relative can be paid for care in Illinois, and the limits of each.
Adult children, other relatives and friends can usually be paid. Spouses are the hardest case.
No program pays family just for being family. The money comes from a state program, the VA, insurance, or the family itself.
The route depends on age, disability, veteran status and insurance.
Use the list below to see which programs fit the person who needs care.
FirstThe person who needs care is assessed, not the caregiver. Each route has its own rules.
AssessmentIn the Home Services Program, the person hires you directly. Everywhere else, an agency hires, trains and pays you as its employee.
HiringExpect a background check, training, and timesheets or a check-in app.
PaperworkEvery route we know of, with its limits.
The person hires their own personal assistant and the state pays them. Most relatives qualify.
Spouses and parents of a child under 18 can be paid only for extraordinary hands-on care, hired directly, and for limited hours a week.
There’s no option to hire family yourself. An approved agency can hire a relative as its homecare aide, and a spouse in limited cases.
Veteran-Directed Care lets a veteran hire family or neighbors with a VA budget. The VA family caregiver program pays a monthly stipend to the main caregiver of a veteran with a 70% or higher service-connected rating.
Most policies don’t pay family members. A few allow it with limits, and some pay a set amount you can spend as you choose.
An agency can hire your relative as its caregiver. They get trained and paid by the hour, and the agency sends someone else when they’re sick or need a break. The care is paid for on your own, with VA Aid and Attendance, or by a policy that allows it.
The Illinois Family Caregiver Support Program doesn’t pay caregivers, but it offers respite, training and support groups. Call the Senior HelpLine at (800) 252-8966.
We can hire, train and pay a relative or friend as our caregiver.
General information, not legal or benefits advice. Rules change, and each program decides for itself. Last reviewed October 12, 2026.
Tell us about them. We’ll check if they qualify.