A List of Top Questions You should Ask Your Prospective Live in Caregiver

Finding the right caregiver can be a challenging task, what with the numerous caregivers available who do not have the right skills, the right mindset, the right experience, and even the right level of compassion for their charge.

If you are looking for a caregiver for a family member or loved one, you should have some criteria in mind. What qualities should you be looking for? What are your loved one’s requirements and their needs? What do you expect from the caregiver’s services? These should all be included in a list so you can ask the right questions to a prospective caregiver.

A list of the top questions you should ask a prospective caregiver

Whilst most live in care agencies will do their best to fit you with the right caregiver according to your requirements, it is still better to make the final decision on your own. And in order to do this properly, you need to know what exactly to ask.

Have you ever worked as a caregiver before, or what level of experience have you had as a caregiver? – It is important to ask this question because you want to know if they have dealt with taking care of someone before, even if it was just voluntary (even if they were not getting paid for it, such as taking care of a family member).
What were your tasks and duties when you worked as a caregiver? – This is obviously a follow up question to the first one, and it will give you an idea of what they have already done and what they are capable of in relation to your own situation.
What experience do you have with meal preparation? – This is especially important if you expect the caregiver to prepare or cook meals. It’s actually surprising how many caregivers do not have enough experience preparing even the simplest meals, so it’s necessary for you to ask them their level of experience with meal preparation.
Is there anything about the job requirements that you do not feel comfortable performing? – Chances are, when you have arranged the interview with the caregiver, they already have a description of what the job requires. It is therefore important to ask them if there is anything in the list of tasks and duties that they feel awkward or uncomfortable about.
Have you dealt with emergencies in the past? What did you do and what happened? – In most cases, emergencies are far-fetched. Still, you never know. You therefore need a caregiver who will know what to do in an emergency situation and who can prove to you that they will not panic or lose sense or control, especially if they are providing live in care for your loved one.