Hiring and verification

Hiring goes wrong in two ways: too fast, or too vague. Too fast means someone starts on the strength of a neighbour’s recommendation with no ID check, no written scope and no trial period. Too vague means both sides assume different jobs — the family expects a nurse, the caregiver expects to cook and clean, and the arrangement collapses in week three.

The pages here cover the whole sequence: what to ask for before anyone is hired, which documents matter, how to write a scope of work that a caregiver can actually follow, what a fair trial period looks like, and what to demand from an agency in writing rather than by phone.

Start with the checklist if you are in a hurry — it is ordered so that the first four items protect your parent when you are not at home.