West Virginia family caregivers can get funded respite care through Medicaid, the state's FAIR and Lighthouse programs, federal NFCSP caregiver grants, and VA benefits for veterans. Call West Virginia Medicaid Client Services at 1-800-642-8589 or the Eldercare Locator at 1-800-677-1116 to start.

If you have not had a real break in months, the strain you feel is not weakness. It is the predictable toll of caring without relief, and West Virginia has funded ways to fix it. Research shows that family caregivers who go without regular respite face higher rates of depression, cardiovascular disease, and burnout than the general population, and that caregivers who build in relief keep their loved ones at home longer than those who don't. Respite is not stepping away. It is what sustains the care.

This guide maps every funded respite option in West Virginia for 2026.

Why Respite Care Matters for West Virginia Caregivers

West Virginia has one of the oldest populations in the country, and tens of thousands of families here provide daily care without pay or scheduled relief. The toll is real: higher rates of anxiety, physical illness, and isolation than non-caregiving peers.

Paying for a break out of pocket is expensive. In West Virginia, a non-medical caregiver costs a median $30 an hour, per CareScout's 2025 Cost of Care Survey. CareScout's annual figure of $68,640 (about $5,720 a month) assumes 44 hours a week for 52 weeks, so a family that uses less care pays less. These are industry-survey medians from one commercial publisher, not government figures. That price is exactly why the funded doors below matter: in-home respite, adult day programs, and short-stay facility respite can give you time to work, sleep, or recover, at little or no cost, if you know which program to call.

Funded Respite Options in West Virginia

1. Personal Care Services and the Aged and Disabled Waiver

What it is: The PCS Program assists eligible Medicaid members with activities of daily living (ADLs) and instrumental activities of daily living (IADLs) in the member's home, place of employment or community. The Aged and Disabled Waiver (ADW) is the home and community-based waiver West Virginia runs for individuals ages 65 or older and individuals with physical disabilities ages 18-64 who meet a nursing facility level of care. Under its self-directed option, Personal Options, your staff is hired by you and works directly for you.,

Can a family member provide respite? Self-direction is not a route around the spousal bar. Under ADW Personal Options, staff hired by the member cannot be the member's spouse or legal guardian. Under PCS, Medicaid prohibits persons legally responsible for the member (a spouse, or a parent of a minor child) and court-appointed legal guardians and conservators from providing services for reimbursement. ADW members also cannot be paid caregivers in another waiver program or in the PCS program. Where the worker is a relative or lives with the member, services must be for the sole benefit of the eligible person. Confirm family-member eligibility with West Virginia Medicaid Client Services at 1-800-642-8589 or 304-558-2400.

How to access: PCS does not start with the family: its screening must be initiated by a medical necessity request signed by a physician, physician assistant, or nurse practitioner. For questions about Medicaid coverage, call Client Services at 1-800-642-8589; for ADW application questions, the Bureau of Senior Services takes calls at 1-866-767-1575. The ADW provides case management among its services.,

Eligibility: PCS requires three deficits on the most current Pre-Admission Screening, or two deficits plus a listed condition such as being unable to vacate a building in an emergency or to take one's own medications. The ADW requires Medicaid waiver financial eligibility first, then approval for a nursing home level of care based on a nurse's medical assessment and needs in at least five areas of daily living; even after acceptance, a program opening must be available.,

Best for: Medicaid-eligible West Virginia families who want in-home help with daily activities, so the family caregiver gets a break.

2. FAIR and Lighthouse: West Virginia's State Respite Programs

What they are: Beyond Medicaid, West Virginia operates two in-home programs reached through the Bureau of Senior Services. The FAIR (Family Alzheimer's In-Home Respite) program is available in every county and gives family caregivers of a person with a written diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease or a related dementia up to 16 hours of in-home respite per week, based on need and on the availability of hours and trained staff, with the fee based on the income of the person with dementia. The Lighthouse Program, available in each county and funded entirely by state monies, provides up to 60 hours of service per month, based on a client assessment and resources available, in four areas: personal care, mobility, nutrition, and environmental.

Who qualifies: FAIR is for family caregivers of a person with a written dementia diagnosis. Lighthouse is for people at least 60 years old who have functional needs in their homes but whose income or assets disqualify them for Medicaid. FAIR's fee depends on the income of the person with dementia, and Lighthouse has a sliding scale fee reimbursement in place.

How to access: Call your county aging provider or contact the West Virginia Bureau of Senior Services. The Eldercare Locator at 1-800-677-1116 can connect you to your local Area Agency on Aging.

Best for: Families caring for a person with dementia (FAIR) or an adult 60 or older who has functional needs at home but whose income or assets disqualify them for Medicaid (Lighthouse).

3. NFCSP Grants Through West Virginia's Area Agencies on Aging

What it is: The National Family Caregiver Support Program (NFCSP), authorized under Title III-E of the Older Americans Act, makes grants to states, and its services are provided by Area Agencies on Aging or the entities they contract with. Those services include information about available services, help gaining access to them, individual counseling, support groups and caregiver training, respite care, and supplemental services on a limited basis. Respite can mean temporary relief at home or in an adult day care or institutional setting.

Who qualifies: Adult family members or other informal caregivers of people 60 and older; caregivers of people of any age with Alzheimer's disease and related disorders; older relatives (not parents) age 55 and older caring for children under 18; and older relatives, including parents, age 55 and older caring for adults ages 18-59 with disabilities. Two conditions apply. For a family caregiver, respite and supplemental services are available only where the person cared for is an older individual who is frail: unable to perform at least two activities of daily living without substantial help, or needing substantial supervision because a cognitive or other mental impairment makes their behavior a serious health or safety hazard; information, access help, counseling and training carry no such condition. An older relative caregiver must live with, and be the primary caregiver for, the child or adult with a disability; a caregiver for a child must be a relative other than the parent, must be the primary caregiver because the parents are unable or unwilling to serve, and must have a legal relationship to the child or be raising the child informally.

How to access: Use the Eldercare Locator at 1-800-677-1116 to find your local West Virginia AAA.

Best for: West Virginia family caregivers in any of the eligible groups above, as a first call to their local Area Agency on Aging.

4. The Lifespan Respite Care Program

What it is: The Lifespan Respite Care Program is a federal program run by the Administration for Community Living (ACL) that awards competitive grants to eligible state agencies to build coordinated, community-based respite systems for family caregivers of children and adults with special needs. Congress appropriated $10 million for it in fiscal year 2025, and since 2009 ACL has awarded competitive grants to eligible agencies in 39 states and the District of Columbia.

How to access: Ask your Area Agency on Aging (through the Eldercare Locator at 1-800-677-1116) whether a West Virginia lifespan respite program or respite coalition is currently operating, since the roster of grantee states changes each grant cycle. The ACL-funded National Respite Locator at archrespite.org can also point you to nearby providers.

Best for: Caregivers who want to check for an additional state-coordinated respite option beyond Medicaid and NFCSP.

5. VA Respite for Veterans

What it is: Respite care is one of the benefits of both of VA's caregiver support programs. Under 38 CFR 71.40, VA provides General Caregivers respite care to eligible and covered veterans that is medically and age appropriate for the veteran, including 24-hour per day in-home respite care, and no application or clinical evaluation is required to obtain benefits as a General Caregiver.

PCAFC: For Secondary Family Caregivers in the Program of Comprehensive Assistance for Family Caregivers (PCAFC), respite care is limited to veterans enrolled in the VA health care system. For Primary Family Caregivers, respite care will be available for at least 30 days per year and may exceed 30 days per year if clinically appropriate and if requested by the Primary Family Caregiver, and it includes in-home care.

How to access: Call the VA Caregiver Support Line at 1-855-260-3274, staffed Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Eastern Time; it can connect you directly to your local VA Caregiver Support Program team. If you are in crisis or having thoughts of suicide, get help from the Veterans Crisis Line: call 988 and press 1, text 838255, or visit VeteransCrisisLine.net.

Best for: Family caregivers of veterans.

6. Short-Term Facility Respite and Crisis Help

Short-term facility respite places the care recipient in an assisted living community or skilled nursing facility for a few days to several weeks. Many West Virginia senior living facilities offer short-stay arrangements; call facilities in your area for current pricing and availability.

If a caregiving crisis hits suddenly, call the Eldercare Locator at 1-800-677-1116 to reach your local Area Agency on Aging and ask what help is available near you.

How to Start Respite Care in West Virginia

1
Step 1

Call the Eldercare Locator at 1-800-677-1116

This connects you to your local West Virginia Area Agency on Aging for NFCSP respite, caregiver counseling, and local referrals. It is the fastest single step for most families.

2
Step 2

Call West Virginia Medicaid Client Services at 1-800-642-8589 if your loved one has Medicaid

Ask about the Personal Care Services Program and Aged and Disabled Waiver self-direction, and confirm which family members can be the paid care worker; a spouse or legal guardian cannot.

3
Step 3

Ask about FAIR or Lighthouse if your loved one has dementia or needs in-home help

Through your county aging provider or the Bureau of Senior Services, ask whether the FAIR dementia-respite program or the Lighthouse Program, for people 60 and older with functional needs whose income or assets disqualify them for Medicaid, fits.

4
Step 4

Call the VA Caregiver Support Line at 1-855-260-3274 if your loved one is a veteran

It is staffed Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. ET, and can connect you to your local VA Caregiver Support Program team. If you are in crisis or having thoughts of suicide, call the Veterans Crisis Line at 988 and press 1.

Where to Get Respite Help in West Virginia

West Virginia Medicaid Client Services Answers questions about Medicaid coverage, including Personal Care Services and Aged and Disabled Waiver rules on which family members can be paid. 1-800-642-8589 pcs.wv.gov
West Virginia Bureau of Senior Services Takes questions about Aged and Disabled Waiver applications at this number. For FAIR or Lighthouse, call your county aging provider or contact the Bureau of Senior Services. 1-866-767-1575 www.wvseniorservices.gov
Eldercare Locator A national ACL service that connects you to your regional West Virginia Area Agency on Aging anywhere in the state. 1-800-677-1116 eldercare.acl.gov/home
VA Caregiver Support Line Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. ET. Connects you to your local VA Caregiver Support Program team. If you are in crisis or having thoughts of suicide, call the Veterans Crisis Line at 988 and press 1. 1-855-260-3274 www.caregiver.va.gov

Not sure which West Virginia respite program fits your family? Chat with Brevy's care navigator for a personalized list based on your loved one's Medicaid eligibility, veteran status, and care needs.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does West Virginia Medicaid pay for respite care?

Yes. The Personal Care Services Program and the Aged and Disabled Waiver both provide in-home personal care that can relieve the primary family caregiver, and the ADW's Personal Options lets members hire their own staff, though not a spouse or legal guardian. Call West Virginia Medicaid Client Services at 1-800-642-8589 to ask about PCS and ADW and which family members qualify as paid workers.

Is there low-cost respite in West Virginia without Medicaid?

Yes. West Virginia's Area Agencies on Aging provide NFCSP respite care to eligible caregivers, and the state's FAIR and Lighthouse programs offer in-home help outside Medicaid: FAIR's fee depends on the income of the person with dementia, and Lighthouse, for people 60 and older whose income or assets disqualify them for Medicaid, uses a sliding scale fee. Use the Eldercare Locator at 1-800-677-1116 to find your local AAA.,

What is the FAIR program in West Virginia?

FAIR, the Family Alzheimer's In-Home Respite program, gives family caregivers of a person with a written diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease or a related dementia up to 16 hours of in-home respite per week in every West Virginia county, based on need and on the availability of hours and trained staff, with the fee based on the income of the person with dementia. Reach it through your county aging provider or the Bureau of Senior Services.

Can a family member be the paid respite worker in West Virginia?

Sometimes. Under ADW and PCS, the paid worker cannot be a spouse. Under ADW Personal Options, staff hired by the member cannot be the member's spouse or legal guardian, and under PCS a spouse, a parent of a minor child, or a court-appointed legal guardian or conservator cannot be paid to provide services. Where the worker is a relative or lives with the member, services must be for the sole benefit of the eligible person. Confirm with West Virginia Medicaid Client Services at 1-800-642-8589 or 304-558-2400.

What adult day options exist in West Virginia?

Adult day programs provide structured daytime care, typically 4 to 8 hours a day, with meals, activities, and varying levels of nursing oversight. Your local AAA can share a directory of licensed programs, and NFCSP respite can be provided in an adult day care setting for eligible caregivers. Call 1-800-677-1116 for referrals.

Learn More

CaregiverRespite Care for Family Caregivers: The 50-State GuideWhat respite care is and how to pay for it in 2026: the main types, NFCSP respite with no income test, Medicaid and VA respite, and every state guide. CaregiverHow to Get Paid as a Family Caregiver in West VirginiaSee which West Virginia programs pay a family member to give care: Medicaid Personal Care, ADW self-direction (no spouses), and VA caregiver stipends. CaregiverCaregiver Burnout: Signs, Stages, and How to Get SupportHow to recognize caregiver burnout, why it happens, and what actually helps, from respite care to evidence-based programs like REACH II and Powerful Tools. VA BenefitsVA Senior Care Benefits in West VirginiaVA benefits cover senior care in West Virginia: home care, nursing homes, Aid and Attendance, and two state veterans homes. See who qualifies and how to apply. Care TypesThe Cost of Senior Care in West VirginiaWhat senior care costs in West Virginia in 2026: assisted living about $6,340 a month, a nursing home over $154,000 a year. See every setting and how to pay. CaregiverSenior Transportation in West Virginia: How an Older Adult Who No Longer Drives Gets AroundSenior transportation in West Virginia: aging-network rides via your Area Agency on Aging, ADA paratransit, WV Medicaid NEMT, and how to choose.

Find personalized help navigating respite care options in West Virginia at brevy.com.

The information on Brevy.com is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional legal, financial, or medical advice. Rules vary by state and program and change frequently. Always verify with the relevant agency or a qualified professional. Brevy is not a law firm, financial advisor, or healthcare provider.

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