Most people hear the term “job” interview and imagine themselves answering questions, rather than asking them.
But let’s say you’re the one sitting behind the desk, so to speak. And you’re not hiring someone to work at your business, but for your mom or dad. You need a Polk County personal care worker to look after an elderly parent.
You know going in that you want to hire someone who’s kind, capable and caring, but you might not know what specific questions to ask to determine the best candidate.
With that in mind, we’ve put together this list of questions you may want to ask when trying to find the best personal care professional to look after mom or dad.
- Have you ever looked after a person with my parent’s condition? (For example, a recent stroke, heart attack or dementia.) Tell me more about that experience.
- Please list your certifications for caregiving.
- Have you received any first aid training or CPR certifications?
- How much experience do you have with helping people get dressed? Use the bathroom? Transferring them from beds to wheelchairs and vice versa?
- Is it ok if we conduct a background check and talk to your last two employers?
- What’s something you disliked about your last job?
- What do you like about this work? (We’d argue this is an especially important question, as you want someone with both experience and a real love for the work.)
- What would your past clients say about you?
- Do you have a clean driving record and access to reliable transportation?
- Would you be comfortable using my parents’ car for errands? Do you mind using your own vehicle?
- How comfortable are you with my mom or dad having friends or other family members visit while you’re here?
- How far do you live from my parents?
- Do you have other work that could conflict with your duties here? Would you be able to find someone to fill in for you when you take time off?
Getting into more detail
Your questions shouldn’t end with this checklist. Think about some of the job interviews you’ve done, where the interviewer asks you about specific scenarios, such as “Tell us about a time you had to solve a problem at your old job.”
You can do the same thing when searching for a personal care worker. For example, ask them:
- How would your staff respond if my father is in a bad mood, won’t eat, and has to be at the doctor’s in two hours?
- Let’s say my mom falls and seems confused and combative and won’t let you help her. How do you deal with this situation?
- My dad gets sick. He has a fever. You can’t reach me or any other family members. How do you proceed?
Senior in Home Care Polk County FL
Are you searching for a personal care worker to look after someone in your family? Turn to Compassionate Home Care Partners. We can help with a range of needs, from feeding to bathing to dressing to getting up and down stairs and in and out of bed. With our help, your aging or disabled family member will get the support they need at the place they want to be: at home.
Contact us today at (863)-271-7776 with any questions or concerns you may have about having a helper assist your beloved family member.
