CARE MAP METHOD™
Senior Care · Work Agreement

Caregiver work agreement: what to include

Most problems with a private caregiver start as something nobody wrote down. A clear agreement protects your parent, your family, and the caregiver — and makes hard conversations easier later.

Tammy Gold, LCSWSecrets of the Nanny Whisperer by Tammy Gold, published by Penguin
By Tammy Gold, LCSW
Author of Secrets of the Nanny Whisperer (Penguin)
Tammy Gold, LCSW, MSW
Columbia University
20 years in childcare placement & training

Book an hour with Tammy — $189 →

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What belongs in the agreement

  1. Duties — specific care tasks, and what's not included
  2. Schedule — days, hours, overnights, and how changes are handled
  3. Pay terms — rate, overtime, pay schedule, and how hours are tracked
  4. Time off and backup — vacation, sick days, and who covers when the caregiver can't
  5. Communication — a daily log, who to update, and what must be reported right away
  6. Household rules — phone use, visitors, meals, driving, and your parent's privacy
  7. Ending the arrangement — notice on both sides

The clause families forget: backup care

With a private hire there's no agency to send a replacement. Decide in advance who covers when the caregiver is sick or on vacation — a second part-time caregiver, a family rota, or an agency on standby.

Tammy Gold, LCSW, licensed clinical social workerSecrets of the Nanny Whisperer by Tammy Gold, published by Penguin
20 YEARS HELPING FAMILIES CHOOSE CARE

Guidance from a therapist who has spent 20 years helping families choose caregivers

Tammy Gold, LCSW, is the author of Secrets of the Nanny Whisperer (Penguin) and the founder of the Care Map Method™. She helps families define what a parent needs, evaluate caregivers and agencies, and set up care that lasts.

Book an hour with Tammy — $189 →  Press and media

A note on the legal side

This is a working agreement about expectations, not legal advice. Employment, tax, and insurance questions belong with a household payroll provider or elder law attorney.

What Tammy does with you

Book an hour and Tammy works through whichever step you’re on — with you, and where it helps, directly with your candidate.

Define the job
Duties, hours, and the kind of person your family needs — written down before you look.
Interview candidates
Tammy joins or leads the interview as a second set of eyes and ears.
Check references
Targeted calls that get past “she was great.”
Plan the trial
A structured trial shift, and a debrief on what it showed you.
Create the work agreement
Duties, schedule, pay terms, time off, and house rules in writing.
Onboard well
A first-30-days plan, set up with your new caregiver on the call.
A NEUTRAL EXPERT ON YOUR SIDE

Build the agreement with Tammy

One hour to write the agreement — and, if you like, review it with the caregiver on the call.

EXPERT SESSION · 60 MINUTES

$189

  • Draft duties, schedule, and household rules
  • Plan backup coverage
  • Set up the first 30 days with the caregiver
Book an hour with Tammy →
FREE

The Nanny Hiring Kit

Screening call, reference questions, clinical interview, and trial-day checklist.

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Questions first? Text (818) 308-1358 · info@caremapmethod.com

Tammy is not an agency and has no affiliation with, or financial interest in, any agency or caregiver you use. She provides independent guidance; decisions remain your family’s. Legal, tax, visa, and licensing questions belong with the appropriate professional or agency.