Getting paid to care for a family member in Prince Edward Island
PEI's At Home Caregiver Benefit is unusually direct about who can be paid: the primary caregiver may be a family member, a friend, or a neighbour, and they may live with the care recipient or separately. The benefit is designed for people who would otherwise be likely to move into long-term care.
Who qualifies
Both the care recipient and the caregiver must be individually eligible. For the care recipient:
- • Assessed through Home Care using the interRAI HC assessment as having high ongoing care needs and a high likelihood of long-term care admission.
- • A PEI resident with a valid health card.
- • Generally age 65 or older; people under 65 are considered on a case-by-case basis.
- • An up-to-date CRA tax assessment is required, since the amount is income-tested.
How much it pays
The benefit ranges from $250 to $1,500 per month, depending on the care recipient's household income. Note how the money moves: it is paid to the care recipient, who then pays the caregiver. That matters for household budgeting and for how the arrangement is documented between you.
How to apply
Call the screening line at 1-800-371-8245 (or 902-367-3893) to request an assessment. The Home Care assessment is the gate to everything else, so that call is the first practical step.
Official source
princeedwardisland.ca — At Home Caregiver Benefit (see the program handbook).
Caring in a different province? See the Canada hub.