If you’ve never interviewed a professional caregiver before, you’re probably a bit apprehensive. It’s a very important decision. You want the care provided to be delivered with confidence and compassion, and you want the relationship between the potential caregiver and your loved one to be comfortable and enjoyable.

How can you tell when you have the right candidate sitting in front of you? What questions should you be asking them – what should you be looking for? You want to be thorough without having the interview feel like an interrogation. To that end, here are five traits to be looking for in a potential caregiver and some questions that will help you get to know the real person behind the resume.

1. Motivated to Help Others

Asking someone why they chose to become a professional caregiver is a great way to see what motivates them. Look for sincerity and openness when they respond to your question. Bear in mind, the agency that sent the caregiver to meet with you also had this conversation with them well before they were considered for your assignment.

2. Has the Proper Experience and Skill Level

Caregivers often have a variety of skills, but do they have skills and experience working with the condition your loved one has? For example, if your mother or father has dementia, you’ll want someone caring for them who has cared for others that have had the same illness. The same goes for Parkinson’s, anxiety, depression, etc.

3. Their Personality Is a Good Match With Your Loved One’s

If your loved one’s personality type is that of an extrovert, you’ll most likely want to look for the same in a caregiver – they’ll enjoy each other’s communication and conversation. Conversely, a quiet, reserved introvert probably won’t enjoy being with a gregarious extrovert for any length of time. They’ll prefer someone quieter and who is willing to talk when they are.

4. Communicates Well With your family

The right caregiver will frequently communicate with you and be detailed concerning what’s happening with your loved one. Care plans change as a senior ages, and your caregiver will observe when physical, mental, and emotional changes are taking place with your parent. During the interview, have them tell you about a previous experience they had as a caregiver when they needed there to be a care plan change, how they let the family know, and how they implemented that change.

5. Handles Stress Well

There may be days when your loved one is argumentative, tired, cranky – like we all get from time to time – and your caregiver is under stress. Your caregiver should be able to provide you with other stressful experiences they’ve had and how they dealt with them. You want a caregiver who is calm, cool, and collected in case there is an emergency situation at your home or the day just isn’t quite going as planned.

Let Us Make the Process of Hiring a Potential Caregiver Easier

At Help at Home, we understand how challenging it can be to identify the best caregiver for your loved one. That’s why we screen all of our caregivers carefully, including a background check and drug testing. After meeting with your loved one, we’ll match their personality type with a caregiver they’ll trust and build a relationship with.

Contact us today and let us know what your needs are. We have the perfect caregiver to provide you with the help at home you need.