What should you decide before you talk to anybody?
Write down the week before you write the advert. Which days, which hours, and what specifically needs doing in them. "Help for Mum" cannot be quoted, scheduled or compared; "Tuesday and Thursday, 9am to 1pm, help with bathing and dressing, lunch, and a walk if the weather allows" can.
Separate what is essential from what is desirable while you are at it. Driving, cooking to particular dietary needs, comfort with a hoist, a specific language spoken at home — these narrow the field fast, and knowing which are non-negotiable stops you interviewing people who were never going to work.
What should you ask a caregiver in an interview?
Ask about situations rather than qualities. "Tell me about a client whose condition changed" tells you more than "are you patient".
- How long have you done this work, and what kind of clients?
- Have you supported someone with this condition before? What was hardest about it?
- What would you do if you arrived and something was clearly wrong?
- What will you not do? A clear answer here is a good sign, not a bad one.
- How much notice do you need to change a shift, and what happens if you are ill?
Then have whoever is receiving the care meet them, if they are able to. A caregiver the family approves of and the client dislikes will not last a month.
What should you check before you agree anything?
Verify identity, verify the right to work, and take up references you actually telephone rather than read. Ask to see any certificate the person claims and check it is current, not simply that it exists.
Be realistic about background checks. A cheap online report is not a background check, and running a genuine one is harder for a private individual than most families expect. If a thorough check matters to you — and for personal care it should — that is one of the strongest arguments for hiring through an agency, which is required to run them.
The Care Royal does not vouch for anyone. We connect families and caregivers; checks and hiring decisions are yours, and legal requirements differ by state. Ask what checks have been done, and ask to see them.
What should be in writing?
Even between people who like each other, put it on paper. It prevents the awkward conversation later, which is the one that ends arrangements.
- The hourly rate, when it is paid, and how
- The days and hours, and the notice needed to change them
- Exactly which tasks are included — and which are not
- Mileage and expenses, and who pays for what during outings
- Holiday and sickness: what happens, and who arranges cover
- Who to call in an emergency, and in what order
Are you the employer if you hire directly?
Often, yes — and it surprises people. When you engage someone directly, household employment and tax rules may apply, which can mean withholding, payroll filings and workers' compensation depending on your state and the hours involved. Treating a regular caregiver as casual help is a common and expensive assumption.
We cannot advise on your tax position. Confirm it with a professional before the first payday, not after. If you would rather not carry any of it, hiring through an agency means the agency is the employer.
What happens in the first two weeks?
Write the routine down and leave it where it is needed — medication times, what a good day looks like, what to do if it is not one. Agree how you will hear how it went: a short note after each visit beats a long conversation on Sunday.
Then review it honestly at two weeks. Small mismatches are easy to correct then and very hard to raise after three months of politeness.
Where do you find caregivers to interview?
Start with a search on The Care Royal. Say what you need and where you are, see who is available near you, and contact them directly. It is free for families, there is no card, and you agree the rate with the caregiver — we take no cut of it.