Interview Two Aides Side by Side: Five Questions That Show Who Can Take the Handoff

You are looking at two or three people to come into the house while you cannot leave. An interview can feel like a formality until the first shift, and then the choice is already made. Use the same questions for every candidate, write the answers in the same order, and compare them side by side.

Local option: New Plan Care gives families in the St. Louis area in-home help so a parent can stay home: companionship, help with bathing and dressing, meals, and overnight care. Call (314) 405-0887.

Set the Ground Rules Before the Interview

Decide first what the aide will do and what stays with you. A hired or in-home non-medical caregiver can keep the day moving, prepare meals, help with personal tasks as agreed, and run errands. A caregiver can give medication reminders and pick up prescriptions as an errand. Sorting, handing out, and managing medicine stay with the family, her doctor, and the pharmacist. Write this down so every candidate hears the same line.

Also write down the hours you need covered, including the 6 a.m. handoff and the late evening. Give every candidate the same schedule. A candidate who agrees to a schedule you did not describe has not agreed to your schedule.

The Five Questions

First, ask what they would do in the first hour of a shift with someone they have not met. Note whether the answer starts with introducing themselves and learning her routine, or with a list of tasks they would take on. Both can matter, but they tell you different things.

Second, ask how they record a shift. Find out what they write down, who reads it, and what they do when they notice a change in her eating, sleep, or mood. Check whether the notes are written so that you can read them at 6 a.m. without a call.

Third, ask what happens when they cannot come in. Ask how much notice they give, who they call, and whether they will text you before the start time. Listen for a named backup and a time for the call, not only a promise to try.

Fourth, ask how they handle a transfer, such as getting her from bed to a chair. Ask what training they have and whether they will refuse a move that feels unsafe. Do not ask them to demonstrate on her. Ask what they have been taught, then ask her therapist or your own doctor what they recommend for your setup.

Fifth, ask what would make them stop working with a family. Specific answers are useful, such as a missed payment, a change in duties, or a family member who gives orders that conflict with the care plan. Vague answers are harder to plan around.

Compare the Answers Side by Side

Put the candidates in three columns and mark each answer as clear, partly clear, or missing. A candidate who is easy to talk with but has no backup for missed shifts is a risk at the handoff, even if the conversation went well.

Ask each candidate for two references from families they cared for, and ask those families three things: whether the aide arrived on time, whether the notes were easy to follow, and whether the aide stayed within the duties agreed. Ask the candidate for a written description of any background check they agree to, and read what it covers before you sign anything.

Before the Trial Shift

Plan one trial shift with you in the house or in the next room, at a time you can step away from if needed. Leave the day sheet on the counter with the 6 a.m. handoff section filled in. Watch whether the aide reads it before starting. After the shift, check whether the day sheet was used and whether she had what she needed at each task.

If you want a starting list of local agencies and other sources to call, see Local Help for Husband Caregivers. Use the same five questions with every source you call.