How to Hire a Caregiver for Elderly Parents: A Step-by-Step Guide with Expert Insights

We grow up imagining our parents, caregivers, and older loved ones as invincible, so it’s not an easy transition to find yourself searching “how to hire a caregiver for elderly parents”. Whether you are feeling calm and practical or overwhelmed with worry, guilt, and a mountain of unanswered questions, how do you even start this process? How do you know who to trust with the most vulnerable moments of your loved one’s life?

As geriatric care management professionals, we’ve walked many families through this process at different stages, with all sorts of different considerations. Today, we are sharing with you some insights into what hiring help looks like, what working with a geriatric care manager or a team of GCMs means, and how to go about hiring the right caregiver in a clinically informed way.

Step 1. Assess the True Needs

Most families begin by assuming they need “just someone to help out.”

When people reach out to our team, our first objective is to learn as much as possible about their needs, wishes, obstacles, and circumstances in order to provide the right type of services. Some of our considerations are:

• Physical safety risks: Falls, medication mismanagement, unsafe transfers;

• Cognitive or emotional concerns: Memory lapses, depression, isolation;

• Activities of daily living (ADLs) support: Bathing, dressing, eating, toileting;

• Instrumental ADLs support: Cooking, cleaning, transportation, financial management.

We start with a free 15-minute consultation to learn your situation. If appropriate, we then conduct a Care Consultation, an in-depth evaluation led by a geriatric care manager to identify needs, risks, and solutions. This ensures you are not hiring blindly, but creating a tailored care plan that anticipates your loved one’s evolving conditions over time.

Step 2. Determine the Type of Caregiver Needed

Caregivers vary widely in training, certification, and legal classification. Options include:

• Companions/homemakers: Provide socialization, light housekeeping, meal prep.

• Home health aides (HHAs): Assist with personal care tasks like bathing and dressing.

• Certified nursing assistants (CNAs): Provide personal care plus basic health-related tasks under nurse supervision.

• Private duty nurses (LPNs/RNs): Offer skilled nursing care at home.

• Geriatric Care Managers (GCMs): Offer short-term and long-term planning with a holistic approach that ensures the client’s medical needs, living situation, legal paperwork, finances, mental health, and social/relational aspects are in order.

Choosing the wrong level of care can lead to inadequate support or unnecessary costs. Our team of geriatric care management experts helps families navigate this critical decision, matching caregivers to exact medical, functional, and emotional needs.

Step 3. Decide on an Agency vs. Private Hire

Many families don’t realize hiring independently makes you the employer, responsible for taxes, liability insurance, background checks, and training. Agencies typically handle:

✔️ Hiring and vetting

✔️ Payroll and taxes

✔️ Backup coverage if a caregiver calls out

✔️ Liability and worker’s compensation insurance

However, agencies vary in quality, staffing consistency, and cost.

Senior Steps does not receive commissions from agencies or facilities. Our only motivation is what is best for your family. We recommend trusted agencies or private hire options based purely on safety, quality, and your parent’s preferences.

Step 4. Conduct Thorough Interviews

If hiring independently, prepare questions such as:

• What experience do you have with dementia/diabetes/stroke recovery?

• Are you trained in safe transfers and mobility assistance?

• Can you provide references from previous clients or employers?

• What would you do if my parent refuses care or becomes agitated?

• Are you CPR and First Aid certified?

At Senior Steps, we streamline this process. After your consultation, we can recommend vetted providers or guide your interview process to ensure all legal, practical, and emotional factors are addressed.

Step 5. Establish a Written Care Plan and Contract

Clear documentation avoids misunderstandings. Include:

• Detailed duties and expectations

• Work schedule and breaks

• Payment terms

• House rules (visitors, phone use, food policies)

• Emergency protocols

We create customized care plans during your Care Consultation, outlining exactly what the caregiver will do, and updating this plan as needs change. This ensures continuity, clarity, and peace of mind for both you and your parent.

Step 6. Monitor, Evaluate, and Adjust

Hiring a caregiver isn’t a “set it and forget it” task. Regular monitoring ensures quality and safety. Senior Steps’ Care Management services include:

• Medication reviews and reconciliations

• Hospital to rehab or home transition planning

• Ongoing communication with doctors, therapists, and family members

• Advocacy during medical appointments or facility admissions

• Socialization visits to check on mental and emotional well-being

By proactively monitoring your loved one’s care, our team prevents small concerns from becoming emergencies, supporting aging in place with dignity and optimal health.

How Senior Steps Makes Hiring a Caregiver Simpler

✔️ We assess the real needs

Not just what seems urgent today, but what will keep your parent safe and fulfilled long-term.

✔️ We match you with the right providers

Our team recommends only trusted agencies, private hires, or facility partners—never based on commissions, always on quality.

✔️ We create tailored care plans

Concrete, actionable plans you can implement immediately, reducing overwhelm and uncertainty.

✔️ We advocate for your family every step of the way

During hospital discharges, facility transitions, or complex medical decisions, our clinical expertise ensures your loved one’s preferences are respected.

Hiring a caregiver for your elderly parent can feel like stepping into a labyrinth of decisions, emotions, and unfamiliar terminology. You don’t have to walk that path alone. Whether you need a one-time consultation to create a plan or full-service care management to handle every detail, Senior Steps is here to guide, advocate, and ensure your family’s peace of mind.

Book Your Free Consultation Today:

If you’re ready to take the first step toward confident caregiving decisions, book your free consultation with one of our geriatric care experts at seniorsteps.org/book-online.

Let us help you navigate this journey with clarity, compassion, and clinical excellence.