A 20-minute screening call can confirm whether a candidate’s experience and limits fit the care plan before the family shares sensitive health details or invites the person into the home.
Set expectations for the call
Tell the candidate who is participating, including the older adult when possible, and give a short role summary. Confirm location, hours, start date, and the main support categories before discussing experience.
Use the same core questions for each candidate. Consistency makes comparison fairer and helps prevent a warm personality from overshadowing a serious practical mismatch.
Ask about comparable care
Invite examples:
- Tell us about a recent private-home senior-care role.
- What support did the person need at the beginning and later?
- Which personal-care or mobility tasks did you perform independently?
- How did you communicate changes to the family?
- Describe a time you noticed a possible safety or health concern.
- How do you support autonomy when a person prefers a different routine?
Listen for respect, specific duties, and awareness of limits. Candidates should not diagnose conditions or present themselves as authorized to perform clinical tasks outside their training or permitted scope.
Match skills to the care plan
If the role includes transfers, ask what equipment and techniques the candidate has used and what training they received. For dementia support, ask about responding to repeated questions, resistance to care, exit-seeking, or changes in behaviour. For meal support, discuss texture, allergies, and whether a professional has provided instructions.
Do not test a candidate with obscure medical questions. Determine whether they follow the care plan, observe changes, document accurately, and escalate concerns appropriately.
Confirm boundaries and logistics
Review driving, errands, pets, smoking, overnight arrangements, lifting expectations, and whether another person is in the home. Clarify pay expectations, commute, planned absences, and the candidate’s preferred number of hours.
If handling purchases is part of the job, explain the receipt and spending process. Private caregivers should not be asked to manage bank accounts, change wills, or accept significant gifts as an ordinary duty.
Use one safety scenario
Choose a realistic situation: a fall, sudden confusion, missed medication, refusal of personal care, or an older adult who wants to leave the home unexpectedly. Look for immediate safety, respect, calm communication, and knowing when to call emergency services, the family, or a health professional.
Protect personal information
Share only the health details necessary to discuss the role at this stage. Do not ask for banking details, a Social Insurance Number, passwords, or copies of identity documents during an initial call. Explain later verification steps and how information will be handled.
Close with clear next steps
Ask what the candidate needs to know about the person, family, and home. Strong questions about routines, mobility, communication, and decision-making show that the candidate is evaluating the care relationship thoughtfully.
After the call, record facts under consistent headings and identify claims to verify through references, credentials, and an interview. Promising candidates can advance to reference checks and a home interview; the call itself is not a final care assessment.