Letting a caregiver into your loved one's home is a big step. You want to know who is coming, what training they have and what happens on a day when plans change. A short list of questions to ask a home care agency makes those answers easier to gather and easier to compare.
Use this checklist the same way on every call. Ask each agency the same questions, in the same order, and write down what you hear. Notes taken during the call are easier to trust than memory a week later.
The questions are grouped by topic in the sections below. Start with a few minutes of planning, then move through licensing, caregivers, the care plan, scheduling, communication and cost. Each section is short, so you can work through one at a time.
Before You Call: Know What Care Your Loved One Needs
How to choose home care starts at home, with a clear picture of what your loved one needs. A few minutes of planning makes every call shorter and more useful.
Think about which daily tasks are hard right now. Bathing, dressing, meals, getting to appointments, medication reminders and company during the day are common ones. Then decide how many hours a week help is needed and on which days. Some families need a few hours each morning. Others need overnight or around-the-clock help.
Write down any condition the caregiver should understand, such as dementia or Parkinson's. Add language or cultural preferences too. A caregiver who shares your loved one's first language can change how the whole day feels. Then set a budget, so you can talk about cost with confidence.
One more step saves time: sorting home care from home health. Non-medical home care is help with daily living, such as personal care, meals and companionship. Medicare home health is part-time skilled care, such as nursing or therapy, for people who are homebound, ordered by a doctor and given by a Medicare-certified agency. Because Medicare does not pay for 24-hour care at home or for personal care when that is the only care a person needs, families who want help with daily living call a non-medical agency and plan another way to pay.
Last, build your call list. Doctors, hospital discharge planners and friends who have used care are good sources for agency names.
Questions About Licensing, Insurance and Accountability
Choosing a home care agency begins with proof that it follows California law. Home Care Organizations in California have needed a state license since January 2016, and the state keeps a public registry of background-checked home care aides. Ask each agency these questions:
- Is the agency a licensed Home Care Organization with the California Department of Social Services, and what is its license number?
- Is it bonded and insured, and does it carry workers' compensation?
- Are caregivers employees of the agency or independent contractors?
- Who handles payroll taxes for the caregivers?
- How long has the agency served San Diego County?
- Can it give references from current clients or local health professionals?
Listen for direct answers. An agency that is proud of its license will read you the number and tell you where to look it up. References from families and local health professionals tell you how the agency treats people after the contract is signed.
You may wonder how hiring through an agency compares with hiring a private caregiver. A family that hires directly often takes on the work of an employer. That can include payroll taxes, workers' compensation and finding a replacement when the caregiver is sick. A licensed agency carries those tasks and supervises its caregivers, so the family can focus on their loved one.
You can also check on your own. The state's Home Care Registry search lists registered home care organizations and individual aides. The Home Care Services Branch also responds to complaints and makes unannounced visits to check that organizations follow the rules, which gives families a place to turn if a concern comes up.
Questions About Caregivers: Screening, Training and Matching
The person who walks through the door matters more than any brochure. These questions to ask a caregiver agency help you learn how it finds, prepares and pairs its people:
- What background checks does every caregiver go through?
- What training do caregivers get before their first visit and each year after that?
- Is there dementia-specific training?
- How does the agency match a caregiver to my loved one, by personality, interests, language and skills?
- Can the family meet the caregiver before care starts?
- Will the same caregiver come each visit?
- What happens if my loved one does not get along with the caregiver?
Here is what you can expect to hear. In California, home care aide applicants must be fingerprinted and pass a California Department of Justice criminal background check before they are registered. Any conviction other than a minor traffic violation disqualifies an applicant unless the state grants an exemption. Ask the agency whether it adds anything beyond that, such as checking photo ID or references.
State law also sets a floor for training. An agency's aides complete at least 5 hours of entry-level training before working with a client, made up of 2 hours of orientation and 3 hours of safety training. They then complete at least 5 hours of training every year. Starting January 1, 2027, that yearly training must also cover the special care needs of clients with dementia. A good agency can tell you what it teaches and how often.
Matching deserves a few minutes of your time. A caregiver who shares a sense of humor, a love of gardening or a language with your loved one builds trust faster. Ask the agency to describe a recent match so you can hear how it thinks about the process.
Questions About the Care Plan
The care plan is the written roadmap for every visit. It should come from a conversation with your family. Ask these questions:
- Is there an in-home assessment before care begins, and who does it?
- Who writes the care plan, and do the family and my loved one's doctor have a say?
- How often is the plan reviewed?
- How are changes made as needs change?
- Which services are included, such as personal care, companionship, meal preparation, transportation and dementia care?
- Which services are left out?
- Because this is non-medical care, what are caregivers not allowed to do?
The last question is one many families forget to ask. Non-medical caregivers help with daily living. They do not give injections, change dressings or perform other skilled nursing tasks. An agency that explains its limits clearly is telling you it knows where its role ends and where a nurse or doctor steps in.
Needs shift over time. A parent who needs help with meals and rides today may need hands-on help with bathing next spring. Ask how the agency hears about those changes, who updates the plan and how quickly the new plan reaches the caregiver. A plan that adjusts as your loved one does keeps care safe and comfortable for the long run.
Questions About Scheduling, Backup Care and Emergencies
Even the best caregiver gets sick or stuck in traffic. What the agency does next shows how well it plans. Ask these questions:
- Is there a minimum number of hours per visit or per week?
- Does the agency offer overnight or 24-hour care?
- How soon can care start?
- Who covers the shift if the regular caregiver is sick or cannot make it?
- How much notice will the family get about a change?
- Can someone be reached after hours and on weekends?
- What is the plan during an emergency such as a power outage, a fire evacuation or a medical event?
Minimums differ from one agency to the next, so the answer tells you whether the schedule fits your budget. Some agencies ask for four hours per visit. Others are more flexible. Write down the number and compare.
Backup care deserves extra attention. The best answer names a process: the agency calls you, sends a caregiver who has been briefed on the care plan and tells you who is coming. San Diego families also live with wildfire season and the occasional power outage, so ask what the caregiver does if your loved one needs to leave the home quickly or the lights go out for hours.
If your loved one may need overnight help or care around the clock, ask how the agency staffs it. Some agencies split the day into shifts, and others schedule longer stays. Each choice means a different number of caregivers in your loved one's life.
Questions About Communication and Problem Solving
Clear communication keeps families calm. You should always know how your loved one's day went. These questions help you see how an agency keeps in touch:
- How will the family get updates, such as care notes, phone calls or a log kept in the home?
- Who is the main point of contact?
- Who supervises caregivers, and how often does a supervisor check in or visit?
- How are complaints handled, and how fast?
- How much notice is needed to change or stop service?
Pick an agency where one person knows your family by name. When a worried daughter calls at 7 p.m., she wants to reach someone who knows her mother's routine, and a main point of contact makes that possible.
Supervision shows how much the agency invests in its people. Ask how often a supervisor visits the home, whether visits are scheduled in advance and what happens when a supervisor notices a concern. Ask for an example of a complaint the agency received and how it solved the problem. A calm, specific answer is a good sign.
Finally, ask how much notice you need to give to pause or end service. A fair policy lets your family adjust if a hospital stay or a move changes your plans.
Questions About Cost, Contracts and Payment
Cost is often the hardest topic to raise, so put these questions on your list ahead of time:
- What is the hourly rate, and do rates differ for nights, weekends or holidays?
- Are there deposits, assessment fees or other charges?
- Will I receive the rates and terms in writing before care starts?
- What does the service agreement say about cancellations and rate increases?
- Which payment types does the agency accept, such as private pay, long-term care insurance or veterans benefits?
The National Institute on Aging suggests families ask for fees in writing before services begin, and that habit protects you. Read the service agreement at home, where you have time to think. If a term is unclear, ask the agency to explain it in plain words.
Plan for payment with Medicare in mind. Medicare covers part-time skilled home health care that a doctor orders for people who are homebound. It does not pay for 24-hour care at home, for homemaker services such as shopping and cleaning, or for personal care such as bathing and dressing when that is the only care needed. Families often pay privately or use long-term care insurance.
Veterans and surviving spouses may qualify for VA Aid and Attendance, a monthly payment added to a VA pension for people who need help with daily activities. A person cannot receive Aid and Attendance and the Housebound benefit at the same time. Ask the agency whether it works with these benefits.
Red Flags to Watch for While You Compare Agencies
Some answers on a call should slow you down. Watch for these:
- Vague answers about licensing or insurance, or a license number that is hard to get
- Caregivers hired as contractors with no agency oversight
- No written agreement, or a reluctance to put rates in writing
- Pressure to sign quickly
- Large up-front payments
- No plan for backup caregivers
Any one of these is a reason to ask more questions. Several together tell you to keep looking.
After you finish your calls, set your notes side by side. Look at whose answers were the clearest. Notice which agency listened to your concerns and which one rushed to describe its own services. Think about how your loved one felt when they spoke with the staff or met the care team. A person who feels respected during the first conversation is likely to feel respected at the kitchen table too.
Trust your instincts. If a call left you with a good feeling and the facts line up, that agency deserves a second conversation.
How A Caring Touch Home Care Answers These Questions
Here is how A Caring Touch Home Care responds to the questions in this checklist.
A Caring Touch Home Care is a locally owned, independent agency that has served San Diego County since 2014. It is not a franchise. The owners are involved in daily operations, and the senior advisory team brings over 92 years of collective experience. The agency is a licensed, bonded and insured Home Care Organization with the California Department of Social Services. It is a non-medical agency that helps with activities of daily living.
Caregivers go through thorough background checks and receive ongoing training. Care starts with a free, no-obligation in-home consultation. The team uses what it learns to match your loved one with a caregiver and to set up a personalized care plan, which can change as needs change. Families who want to read more about everyday support can visit the page on senior home care in San Diego.
Staff and care managers are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Care can run from a few hours a day up to 24-hour home care, where caregivers have immediate telephone contact in case of an emergency.
Payment options include private pay by check or debit/credit card, long-term care insurance, Veterans Direct In-Home Services and the Veterans Aid and Attendance Benefit. The team also speaks Spanish: "Hablamos Español."
Print This List and Take It on Every Call
Print or save this checklist and keep a copy for each agency you call. A few notes per call will make your final choice much clearer. When you are ready, choose Let's Get Started to set up your free in-home consultation and bring your questions with you.
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