5 Questions to Ask When Hiring an In Home Care Assistant

If you have an aging loved one, it may be time to think about hiring a senior in home caregiver to help them with their daily activities and ensure they are safe. The cost, both financially and emotionally, of long-term caregiving extends beyond the senior into their family. On average, 83% of primary caregivers contributed financially during the long-term care situation of their loved one, so it is important that you choose a home care assistant that you trust.

Here are some questions to make sure to ask during your senior care interview.
Q: What is your background? Do you have any experience in caregiving? If so, explain.
It is always a good idea to start with a broad question to give you a general sense of the person. You will want to look for patterns that show experience being compassionate, interacting with people, and experience working independently.

Q: What specifically makes you qualified for working with my loved one?
If you have any requirements concerning specific skills, such as cooking, CPR, experience moving a person from a wheelchair to a bed, or bathing, make sure to speak up early.

Q: Why are you interested in being a home care assistant?
Their answer to this question will give you an idea of how committed they are to the profession.

Q: Are you comfortable with my loved one’s mental state?
It depends on the current condition of your loved one, but any caregiver needs to be completely comfortable with being around someone who may be silent, moody, angry, or have memory problems. These factors can sometimes intimidate assistants, so it is important to have full disclosure during the interview.

Q: Will you be able to pass a background check?
Even if you are hiring through an agency, this is always a very important detail to ask. If they have already been through the process with an agency, make sure to contact the agency to see what their process entailed.

Asking these questions will help you pick out the perfect caregiver for your loved one, while giving you incredible peace of mind.