From losing friends or spouses to experiencing physical or cognitive decline that limits mobility, there are various challenges your aging loved one will face that might add up to a case for hiring a companion caregiver. Having a friendly companion who provides social interaction and spends dedicated time with them can be invaluable — for both their physical and emotional well-being.
“As people age, they often experience circumstances that can lead to loneliness or isolation,” says Nicole Brackett, Care Delivery and Education Manager at Homewatch CareGivers.
She adds that this social support is especially important for those who are continuing to live it home as it helps them to thrive and retain their independence longer.
“Companion care, moreover, is believed to lower the risk of heart disease, decrease the symptoms of dementia and help patients recover from surgery or other illnesses,” notes Ryan Miner, Director of Business Development at Nest & Care.
With these important benefits in mind, the first step is looking for potential candidates and interviewing them to find someone who is the best fit. Here’s how to connect with qualified candidates and all the bases you’ll want to cover when you meet.
How to meet potential companion caregiver candidates
The first step is ensuring that companion caregiving is the type of care that you are looking for.
Companion caregivers provide “hands-off” emotional, physical and social support — but not skilled medical care, such as personal hygiene, bathing or helping with toileting. If your loved one needs social interaction as well as at times “hands-on” medical assistance, companion care is not the right service for him or her.
However, if this is the type of service you’re looking for, families can choose to hire an independent companion caregiver or work with an agency that provides in-home care companions, explains Miner.
For those who are looking to hire through an agency
According to Miner, hiring through an in-home care agency benefits aging adults and individuals with disabilities in many ways, one of which is peace of mind that your companion caregiver has been screened by the agency. You’ll also have the option to interview candidates who are state-certified nurse assistants or those who are federally background-checked.
For those seeking independent candidates
Families may also opt to directly hire a companion to avoid the heavy overhead costs of using an agency, explains Gail Weatherill, a registered nurse who works to support dementia caregivers and has also provided companion care herself. In this case, she says word of mouth is the most successful route of finding a reliable companion. “Ask friends, family, members of faith communities or civic groups if they know of anyone seeking work as a companion,” she recommends.
However, Weatherill warns that families who choose to bypass using an agency to coordinate care will forgo three key supports an agency provides:
- Management of income taxes for the companion.
- Managing the screening and scheduling of the employee including efforts to find a replacement if a companion can’t work.
- Workers compensation insurance.
“Home care workers have some of the highest rates of back injuries among professions,” she says. “A family could find themselves on the hook for thousands of dollars in care for an injured companion.”
Interview questions and research to take into consideration
Once you have potential candidates lined up, Miner recommends considering the following essential questions:
On their background
- How many years of experience do you have?
- How many hours of yearly training do you have?
- If the companion care provider works for an in-home care agency, families should ask how they are supervised and report their shifts? (Does the agency have an online portal you can use to review the companion care providers’ daily notes?
- Are you a licensed, certified nurse assistant (CNA)? If so, may I review your CNA license through the respective state certifying agency?
- Will you agree to background checks or does your agency provide federal and state background checks, and long do they go back? “You’ll want to ensure the companion care provider can produce a copy of the FBI’s Criminal Justice Information System (CJIS) Background System,” he says.
- May I have a copy of your driving record? (This is applicable if the companion care provider is providing transportation for a loved one.)
Although companion caregivers are not required to have any medical training, families should only consider candidates who are at least CPR certified.
— RYAN MINER, DIRECTOR OF BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT AT NEST & CARE
On health and safety
- What COVID-19 precautions are you following? Do you have a COVID-19 policy? Is it listed on your website? May I review it?
- Do you provide your PPE or does our family need to provide it for you?
- Do you regularly test for COVID-19?
- Are you updated on all CDC-recommended vaccinations? “This question can be tricky, but it’s nonetheless essential to understand whether a caregiver is COVID-19 vaccinated,” he adds.
- Are you CPR certified, and when was your certification or last refresher course? Although companion caregivers are not required to have any medical training, he still urges families to only consider candidates who are at least CPR certified.
- What is your drug-testing policy? How often do you drug test? May I see a copy?
- Is your agency licensed, bonded and insured? If an independent caregiver, what insurance do you have in place that protects my loved one?
On duties and expectations
Since companion caregivers provide non-medical care, Miner explains that candidates do not need to be certified to administer companion care by their state boards of nursing in many states. However, companion caregivers should have experience working with aging adults, seniors citizens or individuals with disabilities and be willing to provide these general duties depending on individual needs:
- Meal preparation.
- Light housekeeping.
- Errands and grocery shopping.
- Transportation to and from appointments.
- Help with pets.
- Reading.
- Taking walks.
- Doing arts and crafts or social activities.
- Exercising.
- Watching television.
- Playing games and cards.
In addition to confirming that you are on the same page as far as roles and responsibilities, discuss their flexibility and availability. Some agencies have hourly minimums or increased rates if you only are looking for an hour or two at a time.
In addition to confirming that you are on the same page as far as roles and responsibilities, discuss their flexibility and availability.
— RYAN MINER
On potential red flags
- Review an in-home companion care agency’s website. Is the agency’s website transparent?
- Also, check out the in-home care agency’s social media pages. Are they actively involved in the community? Do they highlight the training they provide their care providers?
- Request a copy of a client service agreement to review. If they do not provide you with a written client service agreement, he says this is a major red flag. “And be sure you are not signing a contract — only an agreement that you can cancel at any time,” he adds.
- In-home companion care agencies should be willing to offer new clients a complimentary in-home assessment before beginning care.
The bottom line: Hiring an in-home care companion for an aging loved one or an individual with a disability doesn’t have to be stressful. The key is to come prepared with the right questions and research.
