Family care agreements have become more popular in recent years, possibly due to the level of care that family members are providing to loved ones, often at the cost of their own employment and health. A family care agreement is just what it sounds like – a formal agreement between your loved one in need of care (or surrogate) and you as care provider to deliver certain services in exchange for compensation. A written agreement protects all parties as well as clarifies the relationship for other family members and, perhaps, state agencies, if and when state subsidies are sought in the future for care. The Commonwealth of Massachusetts has programs that pay for certain family members (generally not spouses, parents of minors, or legal guardians) to be caregivers. We can help you to understand and access these programs.
While Aging Life Care Managers should not be writing these agreements; the ALCM can provide a written assessment regarding the type of care needed, how it is provided and the financial value of the services provided. We have done a number of these assessments in concert with elder law attorneys. The assessment then becomes part of the family care agreement.