Questions to ask a Home Care Agency

Vetting and Staffing (The "Who")

• Question: Are your caregivers W-2 employees of the agency, or are they 1019/independent contractors?

  • Good Answer: "They are W-2 employees. We handle all payroll taxes, workers' comp, and professional liability insurance." (This protects the family from legal/tax liability).

  • Bad Answer: "They are contractors; we just introduce you." (This leaves the family legally vulnerable).

• Question: What specific background checks do you perform, and do you use the California Home Care Aide Registry?

  • Good Answer: "We do a TrustLine background check, DOJ/FBI fingerprinting, and verify their status on the CDSS Registry."

  • Bad Answer: "We do a standard online search" or "We trust our recruits."

The "Backup Plan" (The "What If")

• Question: What happens if a caregiver is sick or has a car breakdown in the morning?

  • Good Answer: "We have a 'on-call' pool and a field supervisor who can step in so care is never interrupted. We notify you within 30 minutes of the shift start."

  • Bad Answer: "We’ll call you and see if you can handle the morning until we find someone else."

• Question: If the family or the patient doesn't "click" with a caregiver, what is the process for a replacement?

  • Good Answer: "We offer a 'compatibility guarantee.' If it's not a fit, we swap them immediately—no questions asked."

  • Bad Answer: "We ask you to try it for a month first" or "We only have one person available right now."

Care Management and Quality (The "How")

• Question: How do you monitor what is happening in the home? Do you do unannounced "drop-ins"?

  • Good Answer: "A Care Manager does a surprise site visit once every [two weeks/month] to review the care log and check on the patient's well-being."

  • Bad Answer: "We trust our caregivers to tell us how it's going."

• Question: How do you document daily activities, and how does the family access those notes?

  • Good Answer: "We use a digital portal (like ClearCare or HomeCarePulse) where you can log in 24/7 to see notes, meals, and vitals."

  • Bad Answer: "There’s a notebook in the kitchen you can look at when you visit."

Specialized Medical Needs (The "Expertise")

• Question: How do you train your staff for specific conditions like Parkinson’s or post-surgical care?

  • Good Answer: "We have a mandatory 10-hour dementia certification and specific training modules for transfer techniques and medication reminders."

  • Bad Answer: "Our caregivers are 'experienced' in everything."

Summary Checklist for the Agency Interview:

1. License Check: Ask for their HCO (Home Care Organization) license number (required in CA).

2. Insurance: Ask for proof of Professional Liability and Workers' Comp.

3. The "After Hours" Test: Ask who answers the phone at 2:00 AM on a Sunday if there is an emergency. (A good agency has a live person, not a voicemail).