Care Agreements

I recently had a meeting with Laura Watts, of the Canadian Centre for Elder Law Studies (CCELS). They are doing some remarkable work, including a brochure on "Care Agreements." Care Agreements are (usually informal) agreeements between an older person and a caregiver. The deal goes something like, "I will live in your house and take care of you in return for (inheritance money/ the house when you die/you signing over the house to me now). "

The problem is that these agreements leave the older person at risk for abuse, and it can leave the caregiver at risk for not getting what they think they are entitled to. The caregiver can sell the house once it is theirs. On the death of the older person, the caregiver's siblings can come out of the woodwork, even though they did not do any work.

The CCELS has written a great booklet, called "What If" in which it asks people to think about what could happen during the course of this informal agreement. For instance: What if:

--the caregiver pre-decesaes the care recipient?
--the caregiver becomes disabled and can't look after the property
--the care recipient lives for thirty more years?

The CCELS has also written a full report and proposed legislation on Private Care Agreements, as they call them. It is well worth reading and some sober thought.

For the brochure, or to find out move about what they are doing: www.ccels.ca