Paid Family Caregiver Programs in Utah
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Last updated: 31 March 2026
Bottom Line: In practical terms, Utah does not have a simple statewide cash program that pays any family member to care for any older adult. For seniors, the real paid-family paths are the Utah Aging Waiver for some adults age 65 and older living in the community and the Utah New Choices Waiver for people leaving certain long-term care settings; without Medicaid, the best Utah backup options are usually the Utah Caregiver Support Program, the Alternatives Program, and some VA-linked home-care options, which help but are not the same as a direct family paycheck.
Emergency help now
- If the senior is in immediate danger, call 911 now.
- If you suspect abuse, neglect, self-neglect, or financial exploitation, use Utah’s Adult Protective Services reporting options or call the state abuse line listed there: 1-800-371-7897.
- If the senior is in a nursing home or assisted living and you are dealing with discharge problems, neglect, or blocked care planning, contact the Utah Long-Term Care Ombudsman for your county.
Quick help box
| Situation | Best first contact | Why this is the right start |
|---|---|---|
| The senior is age 65+ and lives at home, with family already helping | Utah Division of Aging & Adult Services: 801-538-3910 or 1-877-424-4640 | Utah says the Aging Waiver referral begins through the Area Agency on Aging. |
| The senior is in a nursing home, long-term assisted living, or another facility and wants to move out | New Choices Waiver office: 1-800-662-9651, option 6 | The New Choices Waiver is Utah’s transition waiver for qualifying facility residents. |
| You need non-Medicaid caregiver help right away | Your local Area Agency on Aging | The AAA can screen for the Utah Caregiver Support Program and the Alternatives Program. |
| The senior is a veteran | Ask about Veterans-Directed Home & Community Based Services | This can be the closest non-Medicaid option to family-managed care, but local availability matters. |
What this help actually looks like in Utah
In Utah, a “paid family caregiver” usually means the senior is approved for a service plan, a set number of care hours is authorized, and then a family member is hired as a worker under a self-directed model. It is not a blank check from the state, and it does not pay for every hour the family spends helping.
Utah uses this kind of self-direction in the Aging Waiver’s Personal Attendant Services rules and in the New Choices Waiver’s self-administered Attendant Care rules. In plain English, that means the senior or an approved representative chooses the worker, helps direct the schedule and tasks, and a required payroll service handles the paycheck and taxes.
This is why so many Utah families get confused. The answer is not just “yes” or “no.” The real questions are: Does the senior have Medicaid? Do they meet nursing-facility level of care? Are they already at home or still in a facility? And is the family member an adult child, a spouse, or someone else?
Quick facts
| Utah option | Is Medicaid required? | Can an adult child usually be paid? | Can a spouse be paid? | Biggest catch |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aging Waiver | Yes | Often yes, through self-directed Personal Attendant Services | Sometimes. Utah’s 2025 waiver says a spouse can be paid only in a limited self-directed arrangement, up to 25 hours a week. | Senior must be 65+, meet Medicaid rules, meet nursing-facility level of care, and the waiver has a real waitlist. |
| New Choices Waiver | Yes | Often yes, if self-administered Attendant Care is approved | Only under stricter extraordinary-care rules, up to 40 hours a week | Usually only for people coming out of a qualifying long-term care setting. |
| Utah Caregiver Support Program | No | No direct wage | No direct wage | Great for respite and support, but it is not a paycheck program. |
| Alternatives Program | No, but it is income- and asset-tested | Not guaranteed | Not guaranteed | Utah’s public pages describe contractor-provided services, not a statewide family-hire right. |
Who qualifies
- For the Aging Waiver, the senior must be age 65 or older, need a nursing-facility level of care, and meet Utah Medicaid financial rules.
- For the New Choices Waiver, the person must meet Medicaid and nursing-facility level of care rules and also come through one of Utah’s qualifying transition pathways.
- For the Utah Caregiver Support Program, the caregiver must be unpaid, and the care receiver is usually an adult age 60+ or a person of any age with Alzheimer’s disease or a related disorder.
- For the Alternatives Program, Utah says eligibility depends on income, assets, and a professional risk assessment, and service availability varies by area.
Best Utah options, portals, and protections
Utah Medicaid Aging Waiver
What it is: The Aging Waiver is Utah’s main home-and-community Medicaid waiver for older adults. It is built for people who would otherwise need nursing-facility care but want to remain at home or in another community setting.
Who can get it or use it: Utah says applicants must be 65 or older, need nursing-facility level of care, and meet Medicaid financial eligibility. Utah’s 2025 renewal also shows the waiver is limited to 500 participants at any point in time, so slot limits are real.
How it helps: The state lists services such as Personal Attendant Services, homemaker help, respite, adult day health, emergency response systems, meals, fiscal management services, and personal budget assistance. For a family that wants an adult child paid, Personal Attendant Services are the key service to ask about.
How family pay works: Utah’s 2025 waiver rules say Personal Attendant Services may be self-directed. That means a senior or approved representative can choose and supervise the worker. Adult children and other relatives are often the easiest paid-family option. Spouse pay is much narrower: Utah’s 2025 waiver filing says a spouse providing self-directed Personal Attendant Services is capped at 25 hours a week, needs third-party timesheet verification, and routine respite is not available while that spouse arrangement is used.
How to apply or use it: Utah’s long-term care and waiver page says the referral begins with the Area Agency on Aging. The state tells families to call 801-538-3910 or 1-877-424-4640 to find the right local office. The AAA case manager handles the first evaluation and can tell you what Medicaid financial paperwork still needs to be filed or updated.
What to gather or know first: Have photo ID, insurance cards, proof of Utah residence, income and asset records, diagnoses, medication list, doctor names, and recent hospital, rehab, or home health papers. If you want an adult child or other relative hired as the worker, Utah’s 2025 rules say the self-directed personal attendant must be at least 18, have a valid Social Security number, and provide current first-aid certification.
Waitlists and approval timing: Utah’s 2025 renewal says that when capacity is full, an applicant may wait for available Aging Waiver capacity. Utah also uses a Demographic Intake and Screening form that scores ADLs, IADLs, and risk to rank people on the applicant list. Utah does not publish one statewide approval timeline families can count on.
Utah Medicaid New Choices Waiver
What it is: The New Choices Waiver is Utah’s transition waiver for people leaving certain long-term care settings. It is currently listed by Medicaid.gov as approved through 30 June 2030.
Who can get it or use it: This is not Utah’s general “home care for any senior” waiver. Utah’s 2025 waiver says applicants must be 18 or older, meet nursing-facility level of care, meet Medicaid rules, and come from a qualifying setting. The main stay rules are 90 days in a nursing facility, 365 days in a Type N small health care facility, or 365 days in licensed assisted living, plus a few narrower pathways from other medical institutions or other Utah waivers.
How it helps: Utah says New Choices can cover Attendant Care, case management, homemaker help, respite, caregiver training, home-delivered meals, assistive technology, transportation, and other supports. Utah also explains that case management under this waiver includes assessment, person-centered care planning, at least monthly monitoring, coordination, and advocacy.
How family pay works: Utah’s 2025 rules say Attendant Care may be self-administered and may be provided by relatives. That means an adult child or other relative can often be the paid worker if the plan is set up that way. Spouses are treated much more narrowly. Utah says a spouse may be paid only under extraordinary-care rules, when the spouse is not directing services, and for no more than 40 hours a week. Another major limit matters here: Utah’s 2025 waiver explains that separate Attendant Care is not paid when the participant is receiving Adult Residential Services that already include attendant care. In plain language, if the senior plans to stay in assisted living under New Choices, the easy family-pay path is usually not the same as moving home and self-directing care there.
How to apply or use it: Utah says the fastest way to apply is the online New Choices application, and first-time users need a UtahID account. The same state page says paper applications are allowed but will be slower. After intake, families should ask for the county-specific Freedom of Choice form and review the case management agencies serving that county.
What to gather or know first: Have facility admission and discharge records, Medicaid and Medicare information, doctor notes, medication list, photo ID, financial records, and any power of attorney or guardianship papers. Utah’s New Choices page also posts a release-of-information form and a DWS release form used in the process.
Waitlists, waiver limits, and timing: Utah’s 2025 renewal says 540 slots each state fiscal year are reserved for applicants coming from nursing facilities or other Utah licensed medical institutions, and applicants are reviewed in the order received until service limits are met. Utah does not publish a single standard approval time for every New Choices case, but it does clearly say online filing is faster than paper.
Utah Caregiver Support Program
What it is: The Utah Caregiver Support Program is for unpaid caregivers. It is not a direct pay program for a spouse or adult child.
Who can get it or use it: Utah says it serves unpaid caregivers of older adults age 60 and up, people of any age with Alzheimer’s disease or a related disorder, and certain other caregiver groups. There is no low-income requirement.
How it helps: Utah says the program can provide information, support groups, counseling, caregiver education, respite, and limited supplemental items such as grab bars or emergency response systems. For families waiting on Medicaid, this can be the most practical first layer of help.
How to apply or use it: Call your local Area Agency on Aging. Local funding, respite availability, and service mix can vary around the state.
What to gather or know first: Be ready to explain the senior’s daily needs, how many hours of unpaid care you provide, and what would help most right now: a break, training, supplies, or local referrals.
Alternatives Program / Home and Community Based Services
What it is: Utah’s Home and Community Based Alternatives Program is a non-Medicaid in-home program for lower-income older adults who need support to remain at home.
Who can get it or use it: Utah says eligibility is based on income, assets, and a professional risk assessment, and a small fee is usually required.
How it helps: Utah says personal care, homemaking, and short-term respite may be part of the care plan. This can keep a senior safe at home even when a Medicaid waiver is not yet approved.
How to apply or use it: Start with the local Area Agency on Aging.
What to gather or know first: Do not assume this program will pay your spouse or daughter directly. Utah’s public pages describe local contractors as the service providers, so families should ask the AAA exactly how providers work in their county.
Veterans-Directed Care and other VA-linked help
What it is: For veterans, the closest non-Medicaid family-managed model may be Veterans-Directed Home & Community Based Services, which some Utah aging agencies list alongside their home-care programs.
Who can get it or use it: This depends on VA eligibility, local program availability, and the veteran’s care needs.
How it helps: It can offer more control over who provides care. It is separate from Utah Medicaid and should not be confused with the Aging Waiver or New Choices.
How to apply or use it: Ask your VA social worker, VA primary care team, or local Area Agency on Aging whether Veterans-Directed Care is active where you live.
What to gather or know first: Have VA enrollment information and a clear list of daily care tasks, safety issues, and backup supports.
How to apply or use it without wasting time
- Start with where the senior lives today. If the senior is already at home, the first Utah path to screen is usually the Aging Waiver. If the senior is in a qualifying facility and wants to move out, start with New Choices.
- Do the financial side early. Utah separates waiver screening from Medicaid financial eligibility. The state’s long-term care page makes clear that both pieces matter.
- Ask the direct question. Say: “If my mother qualifies, can we use self-direction so an adult child can be the paid worker?” Do not assume the caseworker will bring that up first.
- Use the right portal. For New Choices, Utah says the online application is fastest. For the Aging Waiver, use the local AAA instead of wasting time on the wrong program.
- Keep every notice. Save application confirmations, screening dates, letters, and the Notice of Decision form listed on the New Choices page.
- Follow up before a crisis. If a facility discharge, caregiver burnout, or safety issue is close, say that clearly during intake. Utah’s Aging Waiver waitlist ranking looks at risk, and New Choices is a transition program with strict entry rules.
Checklist of documents or proof
- Photo ID for the senior and the proposed representative
- Medicare, Medicaid, and other insurance cards
- Social Security number
- Proof of Utah address
- Income proof and recent bank or asset records
- Medication list and diagnoses
- Doctor, clinic, hospital, rehab, and home-health records
- Facility admission papers and discharge plans, if applying for New Choices
- Power of attorney, guardianship, or other authority papers
- Name, contact information, and availability of the family member you want to hire
- For Aging Waiver self-direction, current first-aid certification for the proposed worker if requested under Utah’s provider rules
Reality checks
- There is no broad Utah program that simply sends a check because you are caring for Mom at home. The real state paths are the Aging Waiver and New Choices.
- An adult child is usually a cleaner fit than a spouse. Utah’s spouse rules are much tighter in both waivers.
- New Choices is powerful, but it is often misunderstood. It is mainly for people transitioning out of qualifying facilities, not for someone who has already been living at home for months.
- The actual worker pay is not one flat Utah number. Utah posts official waiver rate links, but actual take-home pay can vary by service, authorized hours, payroll setup, and employer costs.
- Provider availability changes by area. Utah’s senior-services pages say service availability varies by area and by certified provider availability.
Tax rules in plain English
Utah self-directed caregiver pay usually runs through a required payroll or fiscal management service, not under-the-table cash. That means the family worker may receive tax documents, and the program may withhold or report payroll taxes.
The federal IRS guidance on certain Medicaid waiver payments says some payments to live-in caregivers may be excludable from gross income, but not every caregiver payment qualifies. Ask the fiscal management service what form you should expect, and ask a tax professional if you are unsure how to file.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Applying for New Choices when the senior is already living at home and does not meet a transition pathway
- Assuming Medicare is enough, when Utah’s family-pay paths for seniors are Medicaid-based
- Not saying the words “self-direction” or “self-administered attendant care”
- Waiting to gather bank records, ID, and facility paperwork until after the caseworker asks
- Relying on a website that gives a flat Utah caregiver wage without naming the actual Utah program
- Throwing away written notices instead of keeping an appeal record
Best options by need
| If this is your main need | Best Utah option to check first | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Senior is 65+ and wants to stay home with an adult child helping | Aging Waiver | This is Utah’s main home-based Medicaid path for paid family attendants. |
| Senior is in a nursing home or long-term assisted living and wants to move home | New Choices Waiver | This is Utah’s transition waiver. |
| You need respite and caregiver support right now, even without Medicaid | Utah Caregiver Support Program | No low-income requirement, and it can help while bigger applications are pending. |
| Lower-income senior needs in-home help, but Medicaid waiver is not in place | Alternatives Program | It can provide contractor-based in-home services and short-term support. |
| Veteran family wants a more flexible non-Medicaid path | Veterans-Directed Care | Where available, it can offer more control over who provides care. |
What to do if denied, delayed, blocked, or waitlisted
- Ask for the exact reason in writing. Was the problem financial eligibility, nursing-facility level of care, a missing document, or lack of waiver capacity?
- If it is an Aging Waiver waitlist problem, ask where the senior stands. Utah’s 2025 waiver describes an Applicant List ranked by the DIS screening form. Ask whether risk changes or new medical events should be reported.
- If it is a New Choices problem, contact the program office fast. Utah lists the New Choices office and grievance process on the official program page.
- Use Utah Medicaid’s hearing and appeal route. Utah Medicaid says on its contact page that dissatisfied members and interested parties can request a hearing or file an appeal.
- If the senior is in a facility, add the ombudsman. For nursing-home or assisted-living problems, the Long-Term Care Ombudsman can help with care planning, discharge issues, and resident rights.
- Build a backup plan while you wait. Ask the AAA about caregiver support, the Alternatives Program, meals, transportation, or respite so the family does not burn out while the bigger application is moving.
Plan B / backup options
If Utah’s paid-family path does not fit right now, use the real backup tools that do exist: the Utah Caregiver Support Program, the Alternatives Program, local AAA services, and 211 Utah for local referrals.
If the older adult has a lifelong developmental disability and is already in services with Utah’s Division of Services for People with Disabilities, a separate DSPD caregiver compensation program may sometimes pay family caregivers for extraordinary care. That is a disability-services track, not the usual senior route, but it matters for some older Utahns.
Local Utah resources
| Resource | Why call |
|---|---|
| Utah Division of Aging & Adult Services / Area Agencies on Aging | Start the Aging Waiver, Caregiver Support Program, Alternatives Program, and local aging services. |
| New Choices Waiver office | Facility-transition cases, online application help, and county case-management choices. |
| Utah Medicaid contact, hearings, and complaints | Appeals, hearing rights, status problems, and unresolved Medicaid questions. |
| Utah Long-Term Care Ombudsman | Nursing home and assisted living resident rights, discharge issues, and care complaints. |
| 211 Utah | Local food, housing, transportation, respite, and community supports. |
Diverse communities and rural Utah
This section matters in Utah because distance and provider shortages can change what is practical. Utah’s own senior-services pages say resources vary around the state, so rural families should ask not just whether a program exists, but which providers or case-management agencies actually serve their town.
If English is not the family’s best language, use Utah Medicaid interpreter services. The New Choices page also lists communication supports such as Utah Relay.
FAQ
Can I get paid to care for my parent in Utah if they only have Medicare?
Usually no. For seniors in Utah, the real paid-family paths are the Aging Waiver and the New Choices Waiver, and both are Medicaid-based. If the senior is a veteran, ask about Veterans-Directed Care or other VA help.
Can a spouse be paid under Utah’s Aging Waiver?
Sometimes, but only under Utah’s narrower self-directed rules. Utah’s 2025 Aging Waiver filing says a spouse can be paid for self-directed Personal Attendant Services for up to 25 hours a week, with third-party timesheet verification, and routine respite is not available while that spouse arrangement is used.
Can an adult child be paid in Utah?
Often yes, and adult children are usually the most practical family-pay worker for seniors. Under the Aging Waiver’s self-directed Personal Attendant rules and the New Choices self-administered Attendant Care rules, relatives can often be used if the program approves the arrangement.
Does New Choices work if my mother already lives at home in Utah?
Usually no. The New Choices Waiver is a transition waiver. Utah’s 2025 rules say it is mainly for people coming from a qualifying facility stay or another narrow transition pathway, not for someone who has already been living at home for a long time.
Is there a waitlist for the Aging Waiver in Utah?
Yes. Utah’s 2025 renewal says the Aging Waiver is capped at 500 participants at a time, and when capacity is full the state places applicants on a waiting list and ranks them using its DIS screening process.
How much does Utah pay family caregivers?
There is no one Utah number. Utah posts official waiver rate links, but actual pay to a family worker depends on the service, authorized hours, whether the setup is agency-based or self-directed, and payroll costs handled through the required fiscal management system. Ask for the exact hourly amount before the plan starts.
What is the best first phone call to make?
If the senior is 65+ and living at home, start with Utah DAAS or the local Area Agency on Aging. If the senior is still in a facility and wants to move home, start with the New Choices Waiver office. If the senior is a veteran, add the VA social worker or local AAA to the first call list.
Resumen en español
En Utah no existe un programa estatal simple que pague a cualquier familiar por cuidar a un adulto mayor. Para la mayoría de las familias, las rutas reales son el Aging Waiver para personas de 65 años o más que viven en casa y el New Choices Waiver para personas que salen de ciertos centros de cuidado a largo plazo. En los dos casos, Medicaid normalmente es necesario.
Un hijo adulto puede ser la opción más común para cuidado pagado. El cónyuge puede ser pagado en algunos casos, pero con reglas mucho más estrictas. Si Medicaid no aplica todavía, Utah sí ofrece ayuda real por medio del Utah Caregiver Support Program y del Alternatives Program, aunque esos programas no son un cheque directo para el familiar cuidador.
La mejor primera llamada depende de dónde vive hoy la persona mayor. Si vive en casa, llame a Aging & Adult Services / Area Agency on Aging. Si vive en un nursing home o assisted living y quiere regresar a la comunidad, llame al New Choices Waiver.
About This Guide
Editorial note: This guide is written for Utah seniors, family caregivers, and adult children trying to find a real paid-family-care path instead of general national advice.
Verification: This article was checked against the Utah Aging Waiver page, the Utah New Choices Waiver page, the Utah Aging & Adult Services senior-services pages, the 2025 Aging Waiver filing, and the 2025 New Choices filing, using information available by March 2026.
Corrections: If you find a rule change, broken link, or outdated phone number, please send a correction through the GrantsForSeniors.org contact page so this Utah guide can be updated.
Disclaimer: This guide is for general educational purposes. It is not legal, tax, medical, or benefits advice. Medicaid decisions are case-specific, and tax treatment of caregiver pay can vary.
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