As your parents grow older and start facing certain health-related issues, you will want to ensure that they receive the best care possible, particularly when hiring a caregiver. Even if you have the drive and the availability to care for your parents yourself, you may quickly realize that caring for ailing parents can be extremely challenging and stressful.
However, it can be difficult to find the perfect caregiver for your parents. This is especially true today given the difficulty in finding a quality caregiver in light of COVID.
There is a huge factor of trust involved in hiring a caregiver for seniors. After all, you just want to make sure that your parents are treated with dignity and respect when they are not under your watch.
That is why it is important to ask the right questions when interviewing a caregiver. The following questions should be on your list.
Questions to Ask When Hiring a Caregiver for Seniors
- How much experience do you have with the specific ailment that my parent is suffering from?
- Do you have a valid driver’s license, a clean driving record, and a reliable vehicle?
- Are you willing to run errands with my parents if need be (i.e., going to the bank, grocery store, doctor’s visits)?
- What are your credentials and qualifications?
- Do you have current CPR and First Aid certification?
- Are you willing to become a live-in caregiver if necessary?
- What method do you use to keep track of medications?
- How flexible is your schedule?
- Are you available to work late, on weekends, or holidays?
- Do you have any other jobs that could compromise your time spent with my parents?
- Are you comfortable with the list of duties that we require you to tackle?
- Are you comfortable with any guests visiting?
- Are you willing to grant permission to have a background check conducted on you?
Consider Potential Scenarios
To further gauge what type of caregiver the individual you are interviewing would be like, consider going through potential scenarios that could play out. This will give you an idea of how they would deal with specific situations that may arise.
For example, ask them how they would handle a situation where your parent has a doctor’s appointment later in the day but is having extra trouble getting dressed and washed or even eating lunch first.
Or ask how the caregiver would deal with a situation where your parent is extra confused and becomes increasingly agitated, which is common among those suffering from Alzheimer’s disease or dementia.
Run through a few scenarios to see how the caregiver answers, which will help you make a more informed decision about who to hire to care for your beloved parents.
The role of a caregiver for seniors is a very important one. As such, you will want to make sure you do your due diligence when interviewing potential candidates for such a crucial position.