As legal guardian of disabled father, w/ Alzheimers/dementia, I'm seeking pay for 24/7direct caregiving, and ALL duties entailed w/in home care. How do I go about this?

See an elder care attorney at once, because there is a whole lot that you now need to learn regarding your new position as sole guardian. This is all new to you, but you wanted it and now you have it, and your first year is going to be hard to arrange all that must now be arranged.
You cannot be paid by anyone who is incompetent to make a care contract with you. Your payment as guardian and caregiver will go according to the law in your area at this time and will amount to a very small amount of the total assets of your father.
There is no way for us to get paid a living wage for in home caregiving of our own families that I know of currently anywhere in the United States.
It is crucial now that your elder's assets be wisely used. I believe that means in facility care unless he has almost unlimited funds. I am speaking in terms of millions of dollars. You are currently made sole guardian.
You need a primer on what that means legally, so do consult an elder law attorney. THAT is paid for by your elders funds, but you need to know now how to handle every penny in and every penny out of your Dad's accounts, and to have good proof of same. If your father has an huge estate you should consider a licensed fiduciary to manage care.
Sure do wish you good luck. You fought to get this caregiving job and now you have it, and wow, it is a massive job to take on in so many levels from financial to medical.

Lot's of hours and dedication to the process. I would see an elder attorney. I hope that he has endless funds, home care is way expensive.

Trying to put the horse behind the cart at this time, being guardian doesn't mean one has to take care of another in home care.

His wishes are one thing, reality of the situation is another.

Wish you the best!

I think what you would get paid should have been worked out in court. Seems like Dad has the money. But as said you need a written agreement with him and he is not capable of doing that. Me, I would place him in a nice Memory Care. There will come a point where he will not even recognize his own home. He will want to go where he grew up or his very first home. I agree, you need an elder lawyer.

My dad was diagnosed with terminal cancer, and I moved in that day to care for him and my mom who had dementia.

We brought in their trust and estate attorney a week later who suggested I take over as their trustee, and AT THAT MEETING my dad insisted I be paid for my caregiving. He was still competent and the lawyer was a witness to his request, so after Dad died I reluctantly wrote a check to myself for my time.

I'm not quite sure that can happen for you since your dad isn't competent to pay you. You certainly deserve the pay if it's keeping you from working. Consult an attorney, because that might be the least of your issues. What happens to Dad's money when he dies -- does the spouse who abandoned him get it?

HX; in 2021 - My brother (dads POA prior to his legal disability) was notified by dads investing firm that dad & spouse arrived to withdraw ALL his funds from ALL his accounts- to write a check in HER name- to take to HER bank and deposit that day. Dad was confused- didnt recognize the staff and could not read/understand the info charts. staff had never seen the wife. The firm had flagged dads account as 'vulnerable' d/to his confusion during the prior review. We went to county atty and were advised to apply for emergency conservator and guardian pending emergency hearing-to lock down his funds until further disability eval. As his Health POA , 1 month prior he had a neuro psych eval and results were consistent with significant cognitive impairment. 3 months later after spouse contesting both of us (said it was on dads behalf), court awarded co-guardian to me and spouse, & brother as conservator. 9 months later, I had grounds to motion her removal as co-guardian and court agreed. She had moved him to her own home in another city, was not feeding him, cleaning him, refused to allow me to take him to Dr when sick, and refused to return him to his own home where he had informed judge prior to his disability ruling (Dx Alz/Dementia), that he wanted to live and die., Her atty requested a continuance to prepare and we agreed contingent that he be returned to his home until the final hearing in 3 weeks. This is when spouse said she was not returning to live with him as she had for 16 years, and said "you can take him now." So I left courthouse with my 92 yo disabled father/ assuming 24/7 care of him in his home - I had not lived with him for over 40 years and d/to spouse always 'covering' and answering for him, did not know his full cognitive status and level of physical dependencies. I alone provided 672 hours of 24/7 care in first 28 days, a 5 month total of 2044 hours of direct care giving, home management, hired/managed a team of 24/7 caregivers in effect for 4 months. It took over my life, was a constant job, was on call & covered all vacancies plus all entailed to maintain him in his home. Between this, other safety issues, and his loss of realization he was in his home, it was clear 'home' was not best and caregivers were unsustainable, so he was recently placed into a Memory Care facility. To be clear, Dads 'near elder financial exploitation', set all this in motion originally, not 'sought' nor desired, but were necessary for his protection -financially and physically. The court has clearly realized his vulnerability and has noted the 'leader' of this cascade and ensuing conflicts to be caused by spouse and have noted the effect on dad. None the less, my atty has agreed that it is just to request compensation over and above the guardian amount. The hearing date will be set soon. I am gathering data in support of additional compensation as for the past 5 months I have provided care and services in excess of 'usual guardian oversight'. The atty will need to provide my proof so the court will realize the unusual circumstances leading to my need to assume 24/7 care for him at the moment we left the courthouse after wife abandoned him there. Most importantly, dad is adjusting to the MC, receiving PT,OT, socializing, and is safe and secure there. Wifes 1st visit to MC on2/14/23- LSW had to intervene to stop her twice d/to her less than therapeutic convo and behavior. So should her inappropriate actions continue I will be advocating for dad to seek supervised visitation as next step. ALL THIS ORIGINATED Because Spouse was taking advantage of my dads cognitive decline for access to his $ and assets (near miss for Financial exploitation). She is a legal wife, a proven covert narcissist, uses all the techniques incl. 'hurt victim' -obviously she is not about him or his needs. Right- court may say I dont qualify for pay as a guardian, even tho all other c/gs were paid- court has last say - no one will advocate for me- except me.

At a first quick glance your story seemed one of stepping in to help & needs escalating past what you could reasonable do.
So.Much.More.

This a real success story of Advocatcy in Action.

Greedy spouse stopped.
Emergency care for Dad found.
A long term MC home found, for a sustainable care plan.
All the Guardian & legal 'stuff' in order.

I am relieved for you about the MC arrangement. I had the impression you wanted to keep Dad at home? But even with your nursing, community & legal knowledge, as you know first hand, running a Home for One is a full-time business. It would indeed keep your life in 'Dad's track' & leave little life for you.. or time for paid work. The burden too great.

I think you should be congratulated. For all that you have done & doing. It has been a tremendous gift of your time, energy & heart.

I wish you success with monetary compensation for it but if this does not eventuate, may you consider it the necessary gift you had to give - because you cared, because you are you.

I hope you stick around as I am sure your knowledge will help others.

Where are each of Dad’s legally assigned caregivers in respect to “Honoring his expressed wish to remain in his home”, and when did he express that wish?

If it were in fact actually to his advantage to be placed in a quality residential care setting, could that choice be considered?

“….wants to stay in his/her home….” is something that most multiply disabled elderly have said in the course of losing the ability to care and manage for their own affairs, and the consequences of the statement for family members and the individuals themselves, are obviously serious for all involved.

If safe, humane care is accessible in another setting, try to keep it on the table as a viable option when Dad becomes unable to make rational choices concerning his lifestyle.

Or is he already there?

Follow advice of the attorney. You will need to back to court to get approval for payment for the tasks you do. Do you have siblings? If so, this could be an expensive and contentious process.

You cannot negotiate a contract with yourself.