Cancer Caregiver Financial Assistance

Cancer Caregiver Financial Assistance – When cancer strikes a loved one in any of its cruel and demanding forms a caregiver is usually needed to assist on some level. This person is usually a family member, untrained, unskilled, and usually without any formal training in nursing or caring for someone else. This puts them immediately into a pressure cooker as they are now expected to coordinate care, interpret doctors orders and recommendations, manage prescription meds, support the patient, and try to be upbeat all the time. The emotional demands are overwhelming, the financial burden real as not only the cancer patient but also the caregiver are not working or bringing in the usual family income. We here at Cancer Horizons believe that no caregiver should be overlooked, underappreciated, or go unrecognized for the greatest gift anyone could give, themselves.  We have developed an extensive listing of financial and emotional support assistance programs designed for caregivers that are available now.

Take a moment and navigate over to our page for Caregiver financial and emotional support. Here you will see a lot of information, but don’t be intimidated – we have it broken down by topic.

• Help For Cancer Caregivers provides excellent information to caregivers on how to obtain different types of help. From dealing with insurance companies to links to several prescription assistance programs, this website is a treasure trove of information.
• The AARP has compiled an excellent list of programs and step by step instructions that allow caregivers to be paid through Medicaid, various veterans programs, as well as how to set up a contract to pay family members. For Medicaid, you must first find your state’s regulations, as they vary by state.  Veterans can find a list of qualifications for the Veteran-Directed program here, and applications are via a VA social worker. Aid & Attendance, as well as Housebound pensions, are available for veterans that qualify for pensions.  Requests can be filed at a local pension management center.
• Paying for senior care offers wonderful tips for applying for caregiver payments, as well as a thorough listing of links to programs in each U.S. state. Additionally, they have great information on paying for home care versus home health care for those patients that become homebound.
• The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society offers both co-pay and travel assistance programs. Co-Pay assistance varies by the type of cancer and available funds. For more information on obtaining co-pay help, click here. The general and pediatric travel assistance funds are fully subscribed at this time, but the Southern and Central California funds may have availability.  Click here for more information on these travel funds, and check back regularly to see if they are accepting applications.
• The Smart Student Guide to Financial Aid provides an extensive listing of scholarships that are available to kids that are fighting or have fought cancer, as well as funds for kids that are the child of a cancer warrior, past or present. Scroll to the bottom of the page for descriptions of the numerous scholarship opportunities available.
• Cancer for College provides one application for numerous scholarships. The application window is open November 1 to January 31 of each year, with winners announced July 1.
• The Marchello Scholarship Foundation provides scholarships for post-secondary education for childhood cancer survivors in Colorado and Montana. To apply for this scholarship, click here for the application.
• Cancer Hawk has an enormous listing of assistance programs for caregivers and patients alike. Offerings range from scholarships to advise on crowdfunding to help for specific populations such as firefighters. Their offerings are extensive and cover a lot of ground.