Choosing a care provider is one of the highest-stakes decisions a family makes. Brochures tend to sound identical; the real differences only appear when you ask sharper questions. Here's the list we'd want our own families to use.
About caregivers
How are caregivers vetted? What specific background checks are run, and how often are they renewed?
Are caregivers employees or contractors? (Employees usually mean more accountability and training.)
What ongoing training is required?
How do you match a caregiver to a family — by skill, by personality, or both?
About reliability
What happens if our regular caregiver is sick? Is backup coverage built in?
How do you handle last-minute schedule changes from our side?
What's your average caregiver tenure? (Low turnover signals a healthy company.)
About communication
After a visit, what kind of update do families receive — and how often?
Who do we call after hours if something happens?
How are care plans reviewed and updated over time?
About money
What's the all-in hourly rate? Are there any minimums, surcharges, or holiday rates we should know about?
What does the cancellation policy look like?
Need to talk it through?
