A Checklist for Interviewing Caregivers

Marsha Kay Seff
Sun, 03 Aug 2008 21:00:00 -0700
Lifestyle

Finding someone you trust to care for your parents is a big responsibility. So it's important that you ask the right questions before choosing a candidate.

Here are some suggested interview questions from me and Southern Caregiver Resource Center. I've separated them into home-care company and private caregiver categories.

Home-care company:

How long have you been in the home-care business?

Are you certified by Medicare or the state for short-term after-hospital care?

Are you bonded? What type of bonding?

Are the caregivers employed by the agency or do you subcontract? How long have you known the caregiver or how long has the employee worked for you?

What is the hiring process?

What type of training and experience do you require?

What kind of certification do your caregivers have?

How do you determine the level of care we need and who to send to us? Do you arrange a home conference with the client and family? Is the family included in the treatment plan?

Will we get the chance to meet and interview the caregiver ahead of time? Can we ask for someone else?

Do you have a minimum number of hours?

What services will you provide?

Do you supervise the caregivers?

What are your rates? Are there additional charges beyond the caregiver's rate? Who pays for gas to a doctor's appointment, for example? Do rates change for evenings or weekends? Is there a special rate for 24-hour care?

Is your agency a member of any state or national professional associations?

Can we be assured of the same caregiver each time? Will he or she keep to a set schedule?

What are your provisions for sending a substitute when the caregiver is ill? What about weekends and holidays?

Private caregiver:

Can you give me several personal and work-related references? (You might even consider hiring a detective to do a background check.)

Where have you worked before? What were your duties?

What is your education, training or experience, for example, in memory loss?

How do you feel about caring for a disabled person or one with memory loss? Have you done that before?

Give an example of a difficult situation you handled with a client. For instance, how did you handle refusing to take a shower?

Have you had experience cooking for others? Cleaning?

How do you handle people who are angry, stubborn, fearful?

Do you have a car? Would you be able to transfer someone from a wheelchair to a car or bed?

What days and hours are you available? How many hours a week?

Do you provide a substitute when you can't make it?

Is there anything in the job description that you are uncomfortable doing?

How would you keep the family informed?

Are you willing to sign a contract saying you will not accept money or gifts from my parents?

Whether you hire an agency or an individual, you must continue to be involved in your parents' care. Even hiring an agency caregiver who is licensed and bonded is not foolproof. And you'll still want to make all the important decisions.

Marsha Kay Seff edits the San Diego ElderCare Directory. Contact Seff at marsha.seff@uniontrib.com.