Depending on the disability, a live-in aide may be allowed in the unit where the disabled tenant lives. Often, the aide is a family member who lives with the tenant. A live-in aide can only live in the unit where the person he or she is caring for lives. Therefore, the live-in aid must have a valid license from the state’s Board of Health. This license must be obtained from a licensed health care provider.
If a spouse is a live-in aide, the resident’s separated spouse may not be obligated to pay for the services of the live-in aide. The separated spouse can also provide income verifications that demonstrate that each person is financially independent and is not living with the resident for financial reasons. In this way, a live-in aide can be paid from the resident’s Medicaid Independent Choice Program. In addition, the spouse may be able to provide a letter of support from their employer stating that the services of the live-in aide were necessary.
Although a live-in aide does not have a separate residence, they are responsible for providing care 24 hours a day. A live-in aide will sleep in a comfortable bed, as well as provide the resident with linens, towels, blankets, and other personal items. However, it is not necessary for a live-in aide to live in the unit for extended periods of time. Instead, the live-in aide can be a close friend, family member, neighbor, or even a neighbor.
Although the HUD does not require a live-in aide to reside in the same unit as the patient, it is likely that the tenant will be able to find someone who can work around his or her schedule. The live-in aide must have a valid medical license and be living with the patient. The tenant’s landlord may have a live-in aide available, and it is important that the tenant’s landlord makes sure the aide is suitable for their needs.
Live-in aides must be employed by a home health care agency and are not hospital employees. They have no set schedule and are not assigned a specific shift. A live-in aide can assist the senior with daily tasks, take them to doctor’s appointments, or even take them shopping. It’s important to consider the aide’s availability, and the person’s ability to manage his or her own schedule.
While a live-in aide is not expected to be present 24 hours a day, the presence of a live-in aide may be beneficial for a patient who sleeps through the night. A live-in aide can also provide added safety during evening hours, when wandering, falls, and other accidents can happen. Live-in aides build sleep schedules around the patient’s daily routine and can be a great benefit for those patients who receive six or seven hours of uninterrupted sleep each day.
In addition to ensuring that the live-in aide does not violate the landlord’s rules, tenants must also document the aide’s status. A live-in aide must always be listed on the Tenant Income Certification, which a landlord needs to make if the aide is a part of the family. If a tenant’s living situation changes during the lease, the landlord may terminate the lease if the live-in aide fails to meet occupancy requirements.
Once a live-in aide has moved into a rental unit, it is important to make sure that the lease states that the person is only entitled to live in the residence as long as he or she is providing services to the disabled resident. Once the tenant moves out of the unit, the live-in aide is not entitled to stay in the unit as a family member. The lease should also stipulate that the renter may evict the live-in aide if the aide violates house rules.
While HUD does not prohibit rental unit owners from not allowing family members of live-in aides to live in the unit, this policy cannot be used as a defense for discrimination against a resident in a fair housing case. Typically, the disabled resident will request that a member of the family of the aide reside in the rental unit. If the chosen aide is the parent of the resident’s child or spouse, the landlord must accommodate the request.