I am a live-in caregiver for a 94-year-old couple. I have agreed to stay and take care of her til the end. How do I protect myself legally?

I think what you are thinking of is a form of indemnification agreement. It basically protects you from accusations of harm. So if you had such a agreement with them, they couldn't see you in case things go badly. You should probably talk to an employment lawyer. A professional liability insurance policy would also probably be a good idea. They aren't that expensive at all.

As usual, I have no idea what I'm talking about. These are just my post dinner sleepy ramblings.

Given some of the situations in the news, I commend OP for asking.
You need a contract which spells out alI. With an indemnity clause.

Op, contact your local bar Association. They might be able to direct you.


You can play this out. What if her charge wants to die at home. She doesn't call 911. Charge refuses to eat. There are no docs. She needs some legal protection. We are, many of us, in this boat.

Trying to honor someone's last wish can have consequence.

If you have POA for her finances, be very strict in your accounting of her money and account for every penny. Keep receipts. Write Memos for Record for anything requiring explanations being specific such as including witnesses. Set up good filings for her finances, insurances, et al.

I made up monthly "statements" that succinctly showed where every penny went that made it easy to show family members.

Protect yourself against what? Are you concerned that she may accuse you of abuse? If she has done this before, I’d be very careful about continuing in this job. Even if you’ve done nothing untoward, you could still be accused and have to prove you did nothing. That can be very difficult. Seniors bruise easily and that could be a problem as well. Perhaps you should see an attorney and ask them.

I wonder about asking to set up Nanny Cams in the home?