Consumer Directed Care

If you are age 60 and older and want more control over your care, this service model allows you to hire your own worker—even a relative or child—to assist you.


Consumer directed care provides you with more choices and control than traditional home care services by allowing you to decide who will provide services for you in your home.  You could hire a friend, neighbor, or family member.  By law, you cannot hire your spouse, surrogate, Power of Attorney, or guardian. (A surrogate is a person appointed to assist you in making decisions or managing your services if you are unable to do so.)


Your helper can assist you with things like:


  • Homemaking
  • Personal care
  • Home health aide services
  • Transportation
  • Chores
  • Companion services
  • And more!

Under this program, you recruit, hire, train, and supervise the person who assists you.  You also complete and submit all the necessary paperwork to hire and regularly pay your worker through a GLSS-contracted fiscal agent.

Program Brochures

A younger woman helping an older woman with medication

Who is this service for?

This is a free, state-mandated service for older adults who are experiencing abuse or neglect (including self-neglect) in Lynn, Lynnfield, Nahant, Saugus, and Swampscott.

Where can I get more information?

Call 781-599-0110 and ask for Protective Services.

Why wonder or why wait?

Call us today at

781-599-0110, or email your questions to info@glss.net.


Information & Referral staff are available Monday-Friday,

9:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.

(except holidays).

To learn more about aging services in Massachusetts, call

1-800-243-4636

or visit massoptions.org.