Senior-care references should clarify not only whether a person was kind and dependable, but what level of support they actually provided, how they handled changes, and whether they maintained appropriate boundaries.
Request relevant references with consent
Ask the candidate for permission to contact two or three recent work references. Request the reference’s relationship to the care recipient, dates, schedule, broad care level, and contact information. A family member who directly coordinated the care may provide more detail than someone who rarely observed it.
Protect the former client’s privacy. You need enough context to evaluate experience, not their name, diagnosis, or complete medical history.
Verify the working relationship
At the start of each call, ask how the reference knows the candidate, how often they interacted, and which responsibilities they directly observed. Confirm dates and whether the care occurred in a private home, facility, or another setting.
Ask care-specific questions
Use a consistent set:
- What was the general level of support required?
- Which companionship, meal, housekeeping, personal-care, mobility, or transportation duties did the caregiver perform?
- Did care needs change, and how did the caregiver adapt?
- How reliable were attendance and punctuality?
- How did they document and communicate changes or concerns?
- Did they follow the family’s care plan and professional instructions?
- How did they respect privacy, consent, and the older adult’s choices?
- Were there any concerns about money, gifts, boundaries, or confidentiality?
- Why did the role end?
- Would you hire the person again for a similar level of care?
Ask for examples, particularly when your role includes dementia support, transfers, personal care, nights, or driving.
Clarify skill claims
If a candidate describes experience with lifts, medication support, wound care, or another specialized task, ask what they actually did and under whose direction. Similar words can describe very different levels of responsibility.
Do not ask a former family to certify competence outside what they observed. Verify formal credentials separately with the issuer when appropriate.
Listen for boundary information
Private-home care can create close relationships. Ask how purchases and expenses were recorded, whether keys were returned, and how the candidate handled confidential information. This is not an invitation to search for gossip; it is a check that the person worked within transparent systems.
Record and compare fairly
Note verified facts, examples, and follow-up questions. Keep the notes secure and separate what was said from your inference. A reference may limit answers for privacy or legal reasons; ask whether they can confirm duties and dates even if they cannot evaluate performance.
Material discrepancies deserve a direct conversation with the candidate. One different recollection is not proof of dishonesty, but multiple unexplained conflicts in dates, duties, or reason for leaving should pause the process.
Use references as one layer
Combine reference information with the interview, identity and credential verification, a paid trial where appropriate, a police record check relevant to the role, and the family’s care plan. No former employer can guarantee future performance.
If the evidence is consistent, invite the candidate to an in-home senior caregiver interview where the older adult can participate and real routines can be discussed.