Home Care in Dearborn — Paid Through Michigan Medicaid
Dearborn families often care for elders at home as a matter of course, across generations under one roof. What many do not realize is that Michigan Medicaid can pay for that care through the Home Help program. Zentra Home Care, based minutes away on Joy Road in Detroit, handles the eligibility check, the MDHHS paperwork and the CHAMPS enrollment so an approved family member gets paid for work they are already doing.
Dearborn is home to one of the largest Arab American communities in the United States, and multigenerational caregiving is deeply normal here — an adult child or daughter-in-law providing daily personal care for an aging parent, often alongside a full-time job. The Home Help program is a good fit for exactly this arrangement, because it pays the family member rather than sending an outside caregiver into the home.
For families where an elder is more comfortable in Arabic than English, keeping care within the family is often not just preferable but practical. Our website is available in Arabic, and we can support families through the application in the language they are comfortable with.
We work with families across east and west Dearborn, from the Southend and Salina neighborhoods through Springwells, Aviation Sub and the neighborhoods around Ford Road. Dearborn sits in Wayne County, so applications route through the same Wayne County MDHHS system we work with daily.
Can I be paid to care for my mother or father in Dearborn?
Yes, if your parent is enrolled in Michigan Medicaid, is a Michigan resident, and needs hands-on help with at least one daily activity such as bathing, dressing, transferring or meal preparation. Adult children are among the most common approved caregivers in the program.
Do you support Arabic-speaking families?
Yes. Our site is available in Arabic and we can help Dearborn families work through the eligibility check and MDHHS paperwork. Call or text (313) 589-5000 and let us know which language you prefer.
Can a spouse be the paid caregiver?
In some circumstances, yes. The program has specific rules about spouses, and eligibility depends on the details of your household and the care needed. This is one of the most common questions we get, and it is worth a short call rather than guessing from a form.
Is there any cost to the family?
No. The Home Help program is funded through Michigan Medicaid, so there is no out-of-pocket cost to the person receiving care, and no fee to the family for our help with enrollment and payment processing.
