There are 1 out of every 10 senior citizens over the age of 60 that experience a form of abuse. Most of these instances occur within the home by a family member.
That is why is it essential to choose an elderly caregiver carefully whether they will be living with or visiting your loved one.
Use these top 11 questions during an interview to find the perfect match to care for your senior relative.
1. What Kind of Caregiver Experience Do You Have?
One of the main questions to ask a caregiver is their professional experience. Taking care of a family member doesn’t qualify them to take care of your loved one. You want someone will real experience with an elder that they weren’t related to.
It takes compassion to care for a stranger. That is because it’s not an obligation rather a career choice. They should have a passion for the job.
2. Do You have a Car and Clean Driving Record?
Included in your caregiver questions is their driving ability. As a caretaker, they will need to run errands like going grocery shopping, taking clothes to the dry cleaners, driving them to doctor appointments, and picking up prescription medicine.
You want someone with a reliable car and has no violations that could disturb their ability to drive. A safe and responsible driver is also necessary to be sure your loved one is transported on time without endangering their safety.
3. Can You Submit a Background Check?
In addition to a good driving record, the caregiver should pass a background check. Include in your interview questions for caregivers an agreement to conduct a report that shows any violence or drug abuse.
You can also include a consensus to drug test the caregiver.
4. What are Your Vacation Plans?
Taking care of an elder is a full-time job. The caregiver is the sole provider, so if they are absent a replacement is a necessity.
Ask them if and when they plan to go on vacation. They should be willing to accommodate you by planning and scheduling a temporary worker to cover the time they are away.
5. Do You Have Other Family Obligations?
Other obligations can get in the way of a demanding job like eldercare. If the worker has a family of their own then they will take priority over their job.
While having a family can’t be a reason to not hire someone it should be considered when choosing someone.
If the caregiver will live in the elder’s home then you need to ask about family visits and how this will affect their responsibilities.
6. Can You Provide Live-in Care or Specific Hours That You Can Only Work?
This is one of the most important caregiver interview questions as it will determine their availability. Whether the caregiver lives in the elder’s house will depend on their needs.
Some elders need 24-hour care because of certain medical conditions. If you need someone in the home morning, noon, and night then you must find someone willing to provide live-in care.
If live-in is not required, then discuss the needed hours to determine if they fit the needs of your loved one’s schedule. Keep in mind that on-call hours might be necessary.
7. Do You Have Any Healthcare Training?
There are no educational or training requirements to become an elder-care worker. So, having any experience in the healthcare industry is a bonus that shouldn’t be taken for granted.
This is especially true if your loved one has a chronic illness or debilitating disease that requires medical attention. Having a trained healthcare professional may be partly covered by insurance and limit some doctor visits.
8. Why Did You Choose to be an Elderly Caregiver?
Qualifications can mean little in elder caregiver work if they have no passion. Ask your interviewee, “Why do you want to be a caregiver?” This will provide insight into their devotion to the job.
If it is just a way to make money while they look for something better then you can’t trust them to put all their effort into the job.
9. What Was Your Last Job and Why Did You Leave?
A caregiver’s reputation is important since you can learn about various problems regarding how they work with people. Ask them about previous jobs and why they left. The reason reveals their motivation and personal goals.
You can also ask for references to contact people first-hand.
10. What Part of the Job is Most Challenging for You?
We all have a weakness, which is ok. Knowing the caregiver’s weakness will help you to remove those responsibilities if necessary. For example, if they are worried about helping the elderly up the stairs, then get a lift in the house.
11. Do You Plan to Be a Caregiver for the Long-term?
The last thing you need is a high term-over rate with a caregiver. You need someone who will be in the position for the long-term. Your loved one will get close to the caregiver so you don’t want to keep changing this person.
Ask them their future plans and if they have career goals that don’t include being a caregiver.
Hiring an Elder Caregiver
These elder caregiver questions can help you find the right candidate, but you may run out of prospects if no one is the right fit. Using a caregiver service can help you with your search, background checks, and hiring process.
Connect us today to start your search for the perfect caregiver.
