Can I get paid to care for my spouse in Delaware?
Yes — Delaware lets a spouse be paid.
Delaware is one of the states where the person who needs care can hire their own husband or wife and have the program pay for it. You do the caring you are already doing. The state pays you for it.
What has to be true
- Your spouse lives in Delaware and needs long-term care help at home.
- Your spouse has Medicaid, or can qualify. We check that with you for free.
- You pass a background check. No license or certificate is needed.
- The care your spouse needs is written into their plan — that is what the hours are paid against.
What Delaware pays family caregivers
$13–$21/hr
Your exact pay is set by the program and your care plan. We'll tell you your real number before you enroll.
Source: Delaware Medicaid program data · Updated September 2026
What Delaware's rule actually says
yes — spouses and other relatives can be hired under DSHP-Plus self-directed attendant care (the separate state-funded Personal Attendant Services program excludes spouses)
The programs this runs through in Delaware: DSHP-Plus self-directed care. Who runs them: Delaware Health & Social Services, Division of Medicaid & Medical Assistance (DMMA); Central Intake 1-866-940-8963, Customer Relations 1-866-843-7212
229,000 people in Delaware are 65 or older. Most of them are cared for at home, by a relative — usually without being paid for it.
How to start in Delaware
Call the DMMA Central Intake Unit at 866-940-8963 to request an application; eligibility determination (financial + nursing-facility level of care) can take up to 3 months.
self-directed through the member's managed care organization; a financial management services agency handles payroll/taxes/background checks
See if you qualify →Spouse questions in Delaware, answered
Can I get paid to care for my husband or wife in Delaware?
Yes. Delaware allows it. The published rule: yes — spouses and other relatives can be hired under DSHP-Plus self-directed attendant care (the separate state-funded Personal Attendant Services program excludes spouses)
Why do some states allow this and others don't?
Medicaid has long treated care between spouses as a family duty rather than paid work. Self-directed programs changed that in many states by making the person who needs care the employer — they choose their own worker, and in some states that can be a spouse. It is a state-by-state policy choice, not a federal rule.
How much would I earn in Delaware?
Reported pay in Delaware runs around $13–$21/hr, though your exact rate is set by the program and the care plan.
Does my spouse need Medicaid first?
Yes. These are Medicaid programs, so your spouse has to qualify for Delaware Medicaid and need long-term care help. Many families assume they earn too much and never apply. The rules for long-term care are not the same as regular Medicaid — check before you rule yourself out.
Is there a waitlist in Delaware?
no waitlist — DSHP-Plus is an entitlement (eligibility = enrollment)
How do we start?
Call the DMMA Central Intake Unit at 866-940-8963 to request an application; eligibility determination (financial + nursing-facility level of care) can take up to 3 months.
Sources: medicaidplanningassistance.org · kidswaivers.org · payingforseniorcare.com · Updated September 2026. Rules change — always confirm with the program.
Where most Delaware caregivers are
Counties with the most residents aged 65 and older. The rules are the same everywhere in Delaware — pick yours for the local picture.
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