There are links to two articles below about "caregiver agreements" -- formal contracts under which relatives are hired to care for elderly family members. Both are short and worth reading if you are a caregiver to a parent or sibling, or if you are a parent and utilize the caregiving help of an adult child.



http://blogs.wsj.com/juggle/2009/10/21/ ... om-or-dad/

The Juggle: on choices and tradeoffs people make as they juggle work and family
October 21, 2009
Wall Street Journal

Getting Paid to Take Care of Mom or Dad
By Rachel Emma Silverman

...A small but growing number of families are taking an unusual step to acknowledge such family caregivers. Rather than leave uneven bequests, they are entering into formal “caregiver contracts,” in which adult children or other relatives are hired, for modest salaries, to take care of elderly or disabled family members. These arrangements, which are also called personal-service or personal-care agreements, help reward the significant amounts of time, effort and money that family members often spend watching over and taking care of an elderly relative. They can also help reduce the size of a parent’s estate and can minimize battles between siblings and other family members. ....

[see link for remainder of article]



http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123197145248583055.html

Health Industry
January 14, 2009, 8:51 P.M. ET
Wall Street Journal

Relatives Can Be Paid To Look After Elderly
By Victoria E. Knight

Caring for a family member is a responsibility many people bear. It can also be a source of income.

So-called "caregiver agreements" -- formal contracts under which relatives are hired to care for elderly family members -- have been around for a while. But with the economic downturn, more families may be open to entering into such arrangements, some attorneys and caregiver advocates say. ...

[see link for rest of article]