Managing personal finances can be a challenge for elders with failing eyesight, limited mobility, forgetfulness or acute illness. Elder Services’ Money Management program carefully matches screened, trained and insured volunteers with low income individuals having difficulty keeping up with their bills and needing assistance with budgeting and check writing.

Volunteers visit the elder at least once a month to keep track of income and expenses. Elders maintain full control over their checkbook, and may discontinue service at any time. There are two levels of assistance available:

Bill Payer Service: Assists elders by developing a budget, writing checks, and balancing their checkbooks. The elder makes all the decisions and retains check-signing capacity.

Representative Payee Service: For elders who are incapable of managing their finances or who have been victimized by financial exploitation. There are no volunteers in Elder Services’ Representative Payee component. Elder Services is appointed by the Social Security Administration, with a physician's consent, to manage Social Security and/or SSI benefits. Bills are paid through the Elder Services Money Management office. Food and spending checks are forwarded to the client as needed.

The Money Management program is jointly sponsored by the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP), and Mass Home Care.