When you hire a caregiver for yourself or mother or father, it can seem like a daunting task. How do you know where to start? Who do you trust? How do you know if they will be any good? Will your parent like them? Will they like your parent? Will they be as attentive and understanding as needed?
Writing a clear job description is essential for finding candidates who are willing and able to do what’s needed to care for your older adult. To do this, carefully think through your older adult’s needs so you can include all the tasks you’ll expect them to do.
It may help to mentally walk through a full week of care, hour by hour. If you’re hiring independently rather than using an agency with non-negotiable rates, you may want to consider being flexible about pay so you have a chance to interview the best candidates. Interviewing a potential caregiver just once doesn’t give you enough information to make a good decision.
To get a more complete picture, consider having 3 interviews:
A brief screening interview via phone to make sure they meet basic requirements
An in-person interview to meet candidates who pass the phone screen
An in-person interview where the top 1 or 2 candidates meet your older adult
.