Family caregivers in Michigan have access to more programs than most realize. Some pay the caregiver directly. Some provide free training, respite, and support groups. Some are tax benefits that offset the cost of providing care. Others are legal tools that protect the caregiver's authority.

This directory maps every Michigan program and resource supporting caregivers of older adults in 2026, organized so you can pick what matches your situation.

By Brevy Care Team · Last verified April 16, 2026

Five Michigan pathways pay family members to provide care. See the full paid caregiver guide for detailed comparisons.

Michigan Home Help Program

What: Medicaid state-plan personal care. No waitlist. 2026 pay rate: $17.13/hour.

Who it pays: Adult children, grandchildren, siblings, nieces, nephews, friends, neighbors. Not spouses.

How to apply: County MDHHS office. See the Home Help guide.

MI Choice Waiver Self-Determination Option

What: 1915(c) HCBS waiver option that lets the participant hire their own caregivers.

Who it pays: All relationships including spouses.

How to apply: Regional MI Choice Waiver Agency or 1-800-803-7174. See the MI Choice guide.

VA Program of Comprehensive Assistance for Family Caregivers (PCAFC)

What: Monthly tax-free stipend plus health coverage, respite, and mental health services for a designated primary family caregiver of an eligible veteran.

Who it pays: A single designated primary family caregiver, any relationship.

How to apply: VA Caregiver Support Line 1-855-260-3274 or caregiver.va.gov.

VA Veteran-Directed Care (VDC)

What: Veteran-controlled budget to hire any caregiver, including family.

Who it pays: Any caregiver the veteran hires.

How to apply: Through the veteran's VAMC (Ann Arbor, Battle Creek, Detroit, Iron Mountain, Saginaw in Michigan).

VA Aid & Attendance

What: Monthly pension to wartime veteran or surviving spouse needing help with ADLs.

Who gets paid: The veteran or spouse directly. Family caregivers are paid from the pension under a private caregiver agreement.

How to apply: Michigan Veterans Affairs Agency (MVAA) or a county Veterans Service Officer. See the Michigan VA Aid & Attendance guide.

Non-Pay Caregiver Support Programs

National Family Caregiver Support Program (NFCSP)

NFCSP is a federally funded program delivered through Michigan's 16 Area Agencies on Aging (AAAs). Services are free to caregivers of people 60+, and Medicaid eligibility is not required. NFCSP offers:

  • Respite grants: Typically $200 to $500 vouchers for respite care purchased from local providers.
  • Caregiver training: Programs like Powerful Tools for Caregivers, Creating Confident Caregivers, and Stress-Busting for Family Caregivers.
  • Support groups: Local in-person and virtual peer support.
  • Care consultation: Free 1:1 help building a care plan.
  • Supplemental services: Limited grants for transportation, nutrition, or supplies.
  • Referral to other resources.

To access NFCSP, contact your local AAA. See "Find Your AAA" below.

Michigan's 16 Area Agencies on Aging

Michigan has 16 AAAs covering all 83 counties. The statewide association is 4AMI.org. Each AAA is the hub for aging services, HCBS access, NFCSP, Medicare counseling (MMAP), and often the MI Choice Waiver Agency for its region.

Key AAAs and the regions they serve:

  • Region 1A: Detroit Area Agency on Aging (Wayne County portion)
  • Region 1B: Area Agency on Aging 1-B (Livingston, Macomb, Monroe, Oakland, St. Clair, Washtenaw)
  • Region 1C: The Senior Alliance (Western Wayne County)
  • Region 2: Region 2 Area Agency on Aging (Hillsdale, Jackson, Lenawee)
  • Region 3A: Kalamazoo County Area Agency on Aging
  • Region 3B: Branch-St. Joseph AAA
  • Region 3C: Region IIIB AAA (Barry-Calhoun-Eaton-Kalamazoo-St. Joseph-Van Buren)
  • Region 4: Region IV AAA (Berrien-Cass-Van Buren)
  • Region 5: Valley Area Agency on Aging (Genesee, Lapeer, Shiawassee)
  • Region 6: Tri-County Office on Aging (Clinton, Eaton, Ingham)
  • Region 7: Region 7 Area Agency on Aging (Bay, Clare, Gladwin, Gratiot, Huron, Isabella, Midland, Saginaw, Sanilac, Tuscola)
  • Region 8: Area Agency on Aging of Western Michigan (Allegan, Ionia, Kent, Lake, Mason, Mecosta, Montcalm, Newaygo, Osceola)
  • Region 9: NEMCSA (Alcona, Alpena, Antrim, Charlevoix, Cheboygan, Crawford, Emmet, Iosco, Kalkaska, Montmorency, Ogemaw, Oscoda, Otsego, Presque Isle, Roscommon)
  • Region 10: Area Agency on Aging of Northwest Michigan (Benzie, Grand Traverse, Leelanau, Manistee, Missaukee, Wexford)
  • Region 11: Upper Peninsula Area Agency on Aging (all 15 UP counties)
  • Region 14: Senior Resources of West Michigan (Muskegon, Oceana, Ottawa)

The statewide entry point is 1-800-803-7174 which routes to your local AAA.

Dementia and Alzheimer's Resources

  • Alzheimer's Association Greater Michigan Chapter: 24/7 Helpline at 1-800-272-3900; local support groups, care consultations, early-stage programs, MedicAlert+Safe Return.
  • Creating Confident Caregivers: MDHHS-supported dementia caregiver training offered through AAAs.
  • Michigan Dementia Coalition and the Alzheimer's Association drive statewide dementia policy work.

Crisis Support

  • 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline for caregiver mental health emergencies.
  • VA Caregiver Support Line for veteran caregiver issues: 1-855-260-3274.
  • Adult Protective Services through MDHHS for elder abuse reports: 855-444-3911.

Kinship and Grandparent Caregiving

Michigan has specific programs for grandparents and relatives raising minors:

  • Kinship Navigator Program (MDHHS).
  • Kinship Care Resource Center (Michigan State University).
  • Child-Only TANF cash assistance for kinship households.

These are outside the scope of senior caregiving but often come up in family conversations.

Tax Benefits for Caregivers

Several tax benefits reduce the cost of providing care:

  • Credit for Other Dependents (federal): up to $500 per dependent parent for taxpayers in eligible income ranges.
  • Medical expense itemized deduction (federal): unreimbursed medical expenses paid for a parent the taxpayer claims as a qualifying dependent may be deductible above the AGI threshold.
  • Dependent care FSA (federal): for working caregivers, up to $5,000 of pre-tax income can offset dependent care expenses.
  • Michigan Homestead Property Tax Credit: the at-home spouse or caregiver may benefit when property tax rises above the income threshold.
  • IRS Notice 2014-7: wages paid under Home Help, MI Choice SDO, or VDC to a caregiver who lives in the same home as the care recipient can be excluded from federal gross income.

Always work with a tax preparer familiar with caregiver taxes. The 2014-7 exclusion in particular is frequently missed on prepared returns.

Not sure which support program to start with? Chat with Brevy and we'll map your situation (veteran status, Medicaid eligibility, stress level, and practical needs) to the right combination of programs.

Before the care recipient's cognition declines, a few Michigan-specific legal documents matter:

  • Michigan Durable Power of Attorney (POA). Gives the caregiver authority over finances. Must be signed by the care recipient while mentally competent, witnessed and notarized per Michigan rules.
  • Michigan Patient Advocate Designation (PAD). The Michigan-specific name for healthcare POA. Gives the caregiver authority to make healthcare decisions if the care recipient becomes incapacitated. The PAD is specifically a Michigan form; do not substitute a generic healthcare POA.
  • Do Not Resuscitate (DNR) Order. Signed by the care recipient and physician; guides emergency responders and hospital staff.
  • Michigan Advance Directive: combines values statement with the PAD.
  • Last Will and Testament and, depending on assets, a revocable living trust or Lady Bird deed for real estate.

Most Michigan elder-law attorneys can prepare this package for $500 to $2,500 depending on complexity. Michigan State Bar Lawyer Referral Service: 1-800-968-0738.

Where to Start if You're New to Caregiving

A suggested order for a Michigan caregiver starting the journey:

  1. Call your AAA at 1-800-803-7174. Get connected to a local care consultant, sign up for NFCSP, and ask about Powerful Tools or Creating Confident Caregivers.
  2. Apply for Medicaid (via MI Bridges) if the care recipient might qualify. This unlocks Home Help and MI Choice.
  3. Call the VA if the care recipient is a veteran: 1-800-MyVA411 or the MVAA.
  4. Get the legal documents in place before cognitive decline forecloses signing.
  5. Join a support group through the Alzheimer's Association, your AAA, or an online community.
  6. Talk to a tax preparer about caregiver deductions and the 2014-7 exclusion.
  7. Plan for respite. Even one day off a week prevents burnout and extends the caregiver's ability to provide care.

Common Misconceptions

"I have to exhaust my own resources before asking for help." You don't. NFCSP, support groups, AAA care consultations, and the 988 lifeline are free. Using them early is what preserves your ability to keep caregiving long-term.

"I'm too busy to join a support group." A 60-minute support group once a month, in person or virtual, has been repeatedly shown in research to reduce caregiver burnout and depression. It's the highest-leverage use of one hour in a caregiver's month.

"Only low-income families get help." Most non-pay programs (NFCSP, Alzheimer's Association, Michigan Dementia Coalition, MMAP) are not income-restricted. Paid programs (Medicaid Home Help, MI Choice, VA benefits) have their own eligibility rules separate from NFCSP.

"I don't need a Patient Advocate Designation — my healthcare POA from another state will work." Michigan-specific hospitals and long-term care facilities generally recognize the Michigan PAD form. An out-of-state document may be challenged. Getting the MI PAD is a 30-minute notary appointment.

Frequently Asked Questions

Call Michigan's statewide entry point at 1-800-803-7174, which routes to your regional AAA based on ZIP code. Alternatively, find your AAA directly at 4AMI.org. Michigan has 16 AAAs covering all 83 counties, and they are the hub for NFCSP respite, MI Choice intake, MMAP Medicare counseling, and care consultations.

Yes, through five pathways: Home Help ($17.13/hour in 2026, no waitlist, excludes spouses) , MI Choice Waiver Self-Determination Option (allows spouses) , VA PCAFC stipend, VA Veteran-Directed Care, and VA Aid & Attendance pension. See the full paid caregiver guide for detailed comparisons.

The National Family Caregiver Support Program is federally funded and delivered through Michigan's 16 AAAs. It provides respite grants (typically $200-$500), caregiver training (Powerful Tools for Caregivers, Creating Confident Caregivers), support groups, care consultations, and supplemental services. Services are free to caregivers of people 60+ or caregivers of people with Alzheimer's/dementia at any age. There is no income test. Call your AAA at 1-800-803-7174 to access it.

A Michigan Durable Power of Attorney gives the caregiver authority over finances; the Patient Advocate Designation (PAD) gives authority over healthcare decisions. Michigan requires the PAD specifically — a generic out-of-state healthcare POA may be challenged. Both documents must be signed while the care recipient is mentally competent.

Call Michigan Adult Protective Services through MDHHS at 855-444-3911. For caregiver mental health emergencies, use the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. For veteran caregiver issues, the VA Caregiver Support Line is 1-855-260-3274.

Learn More

Find personalized help navigating Michigan caregiver programs at brevy.com.

The information on Brevy.com is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional legal, financial, medical, or tax advice. Program availability, rates, and forms change. Always verify with the agency or program directly, or with a Michigan elder-law attorney or tax preparer. Brevy is not a law firm, financial advisor, or healthcare provider.

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Brevy Care Team

Expert eldercare guidance from Brevy's team of healthcare professionals and researchers.