Personal care is hands-on help with the daily activities that keep someone safe and comfortable at home — bathing, dressing, grooming, using the bathroom, and moving safely from bed to chair. Under the Michigan Home Help program, Michigan Medicaid pays an approved family member or friend to provide that care. Zentra Home Care handles the eligibility check, the MDHHS paperwork and the payment side so the care keeps happening and the person providing it finally gets paid for it.
Personal care is the core of what the Home Help program funds. MDHHS assesses how much help a person needs with each activity of daily living, and approves a number of paid hours based on that assessment. To qualify, the person receiving care must be enrolled in Michigan Medicaid, be a Michigan resident, and need hands-on assistance with at least one of these activities.
The important distinction is hands-on. The program funds physical assistance — actually helping someone into the shower, steadying them as they stand, helping them dress. It is not intended to fund companionship or social visits on their own, which is a common source of confusion when families first look into it.
Most caregivers approved through this program are adult children caring for a parent, though the program also approves other relatives, friends, and in some circumstances a spouse or a parent caring for a child under 18. No certification, license or prior experience is required — the caregiver does need to enroll in the MDHHS CHAMPS provider system to receive Medicaid payments, and we walk you through that step.
What this covers
Bathing and showering assistance, including sponge bathing for limited mobility
Dressing — clothing, buttons, zippers, socks and footwear
Grooming — hair care, shaving, oral and denture care, nail care
Transferring between bed, chair, wheelchair and vehicle
Toileting and incontinence care
Walking support and fall-prevention awareness
Common questions
Does Michigan Medicaid pay for personal care at home?
Yes. The MDHHS Home Help program funds personal care assistance for adults enrolled in Michigan Medicaid who need hands-on help with daily activities. The distinguishing feature of this program is that the paid caregiver can be a family member or friend rather than an agency employee.
What counts as an activity of daily living?
The program looks at bathing, dressing, grooming, eating, toileting, transferring and mobility, along with related household activities such as meal preparation, laundry, light housework and shopping. Needing hands-on help with even one of these can qualify someone.
Do I need training or a certificate to provide personal care?
No specialized credential is required. Caregivers must be at least 18 and must enroll in the MDHHS CHAMPS provider system to be paid through Medicaid. We handle guiding you through enrollment and provide onboarding support.
How many paid hours will be approved?
That is determined by the MDHHS in-home assessment, which evaluates how much assistance your loved one actually needs. We cannot promise a number in advance, but we can tell you what the assessor will be looking at so nothing relevant gets overlooked.
