Homemaker services include but are not limited to grocery shopping and other errands; meal preparation; light housekeeping; and laundry services. Homemakers can often be hired, at an hourly rate, through home care agencies and visiting nurses associations (VNAs).
The types of private pay home care services available varies greatly based on the needs of the
person receiving service. Home care services may include:
Or, you can hire a homemaker yourself by putting a classified ad in a local newspaper.
Your local Independent Living Center can provide you with tips on how best to find, to hire and to manage home help.
Social Rehabilitation Services provide homemaker services to legally blind persons under the age of 60 who have a serious medical problem in addition to their blindness. This stops them from performing necessary homemaking tasks. Services are provided on the basis of priority of need. In order to be determined to be in the highest priority category for this service, a legally blind person must:
Live alone; or live with minor children only; or live with another severely disabled adult, who is incapable of performing these tasks, only need assistance in preparing meals, grocery shopping, or laundering clothes. Other legally blind persons who are eligible for homemaker services will receive them only if sufficient funds are available and based on priority of need as determined by the Commission.
Boston area: 800-392-6450
Worcester area: 508-754-1148
Western Mass: 800-332-2772
The Home Care Assistance Program provides homemaker services to eligible disabled adults who are functionally limited in meeting their own nutritional and environmental needs. The help of a homemaker helps people maintain their independence in the community.
Phone: 617-204-3853
Toll Free: 800-223-2559
Elder In-Home Services Home Care Program
If you are 60 or over, you may qualify for In-Home Care Program through Elder Services. Call for information regarding the Home Care Program. Aging Service Access Points (ASAPs) conduct comprehensive needs assessments to determine eligibility for services. Eligibility is also based on financial status and ability to bathe, dress and prepare meals.
Phone: 800-243-4636
TTY: 800-439-2370
Children with disabilities may be eligible to receive services through the Department of Public Health (DPH) Division of Perinatal, Early Childhood, and Special Health Needs.
Toll free: 800-882-1435
TTY: 617-624-5992
Call disability specific organizations relating to your disability. They may have more information on homemaker programs for people they serve. Some examples:
ALS Association Massachusetts Chapter
Phone: 781-225-8884
Email: info@als-ma.org
Greater New England MS Society
Phone: 800-344-4867
US Department of Veterans’ Affairs
Fact Sheet last updated on: 2/27/2026
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Disclaimer: INDEX is pleased to provide you this information. Please note, this information is not comprehensive, nor is it intended to take the place of professional advice. We encourage you to check other resources of such information. No endorsement by the University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, DisabilityInfo.org, INDEX, or affiliates, should be inferred. We reserve the right to remove, to modify, or to add any information at any time, for any reason, and without notice.