20 Questions to Ask When Hiring a New Caregiver

When it comes to finding the right caregiver for your aging loved one, an interview is the key step in the process.

If you’ve never hired someone before, it’s critical that you know which questions to ask. The interview is an opportunity for you to get to know the caregiver, assess their skills and experience, and determine if they are a good fit for your loved one’s home care.

Learn more about 6 Smart Steps to Take Before You Hire a Caregiver.

Start by doing a pre-interview by phone for 20–30 minutes to confirm the basics of the job offer – schedule, tasks, salary, start date –   and iron out any questions regarding these things before deciding whether to do an in-person interview.

There’s no point in meeting with a caregiver who doesn’t agree to your salary offer or can’t perform the necessary tasks. If all goes well by phone, here are 20 critical topics – and questions – that should be part of every caregiver interview.

20 Questions to Ask Before Hiring a Caregiver Privately

We’ve worked with hundreds of vetted caregivers over the years and know a thing or two about finding the right care for your loved one. When hiring a caregiver privately, we recommend asking the following types of questions to make sure they are a fit for your loved one:

• Experience and qualifications
• Approach to caregiving
• Personality
• Health and safety
• Availability
• References

Now let’s walk through each of these one by one.

4 Questions About Experience and Qualifications

Ask about the caregiver’s on-the-job experience and elder care qualifications, including specialized training, state certifications such as home health aide or certified nurse aide licenses, and relevant work history.

• Can you provide the care my loved one needs?
• Can you share more about your experience with this type of care?
• How will your particular experiences help my loved one’s situation?
• What would your past clients say about working with you?

3 Questions About the Candidate’s Approach to Caregiving

Ask about the caregiver’s approach to caregiving, including their philosophy on providing home care, their communication style, and how they handle challenging situations.

Don’t forget to ask: If my father did “________” (you fill in the blank), how would you handle that?

• Give an example of how you interact with a client
• Give an example of how the client engaged with you
• Give an example of a difficult/stressful situation and how you handled it

4 Questions about Personality

Determine if the aide has the necessary personal qualities, such as empathy, patience, and demeanor, that are essential for providing quality care. Make sure to ask questions like:

• Do you consider yourself to be a take-charge person?
• How do you handle stressful situations?
• What is your communication style?
• Do you have any hobbies/interests?

2 Questions About Health and Safety

Ask about the caregiver’s approach to maintaining your loved one’s health and safety, including their knowledge of basic first aid and emergency procedures.

Make sure to ask them about:

• First aid knowledge
• Experience in emergency situations that prompted them to call 911

4 Questions About Schedule and Availability

Determine if the caregiver’s availability matches your loved one’s needs. If you need a 24/7 live-in caregiver, be sure that the person is willing to do such a shift. Likewise, if you need a part-time home health aide for a few hours each day, be sure the person is looking for that schedule and won’t quit if they find a job offering more hours.

Be sure to find out:

• Their availability to provide care
• If they have another job, go to school, or work with other clients apart from caring for your loved one
• What days off they will need in the next 3-6 months
• What to do in the event they are sick or on vacation

3 Questions about Caregiver References

Before you reach out to a caregiver’s references, have a list of 5–6 questions that pertain to your particular needs. Be respectful of the referrer’s time and ask the caregiver for 3 or 4 past clients you can call as you might not reach everyone, and it would be best if you can speak to two of them.

• Find out what conditions the client had and what type of care was provided
• Inquire about the specific tasks the caregiver did for the client
• Ask if there are 1 or 2 things they found to be a problem or concern with this aide

By asking these important questions of the caregiver and their references, and covering the topics that address your specific needs, you can make an informed decision before you hire an in-home aide on your own.

Worried about Hiring the Right Caregiver? Download Our Free Home Care Guide

For more information about hiring in-home help, check out our free guide, From Crisis to Caregiver: An Uncomplicated Guide to Home Care. Or schedule a convenient time to speak to us. We are looking forward to helping you.

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