Question:
“I am a palliative care nurse practitioner for a senior resident of a mobile home park. When my patient eventually passes away, will I be evicted from the park?”
-Tim S. (32), Taunton, MA
Answer:
This will depend on the nature of your living arrangements with your patient.
Generally, a caregiver is not entitled to continued occupancy of a patient’s home after the patient passes away. While a homeowner has the right to let a caregiver live in their home for the duration of their treatment, this does not grant the caregiver formal residency by default. In many cases, the caregiver is essentially recognized as a guest in their patient’s home. Therefore, a caregiver’s right to continued occupancy typically expires when the homeowner dies.
However, if a caregiver was actively involved in the signing of the homeowner’s lease agreement, or has otherwise been accepted by the park for co-residency, then they will be considered a formal resident under the same terms of the park’s lease agreement. In this case, the caregiver should only be evicted for reasons that would apply to any other resident of the park, such as failing to meet rent payments or violating park rules.
Furthermore, if the caregiver is the legal inheritor of the home, then they may have the right to sell the home, as long as rent payments and park policies are met during the period that the home is on the market.
For further clarification of your status in the park, you should review the terms of your care plan. Consider contacting park management for further arrangements to assist you during this period of your treatment.
Overview:
- Caregivers are not considered residents of the park by default.
- Caregivers who have arranged for formal co-residency may assume residency after a patient dies.
