The home interview is a two-way assessment. The family learns how the candidate thinks and communicates, while the caregiver sees the environment, equipment, workload, and people involved. The older adult should be included according to their wishes and abilities.
Prepare the meeting
Tell the candidate who will attend and how long the meeting will last. Put away financial documents, medication records not yet needed, valuables, and access codes. Have the care-role brief and consistent questions ready.
Begin by speaking directly to the older adult rather than only to relatives. Explain the purpose of the meeting and ask permission before discussing personal care in detail.
Walk through a normal day
Describe mornings, meals, mobility, appointments, rest, social activities, and evenings. Show relevant spaces and equipment, but do not ask the candidate to perform a transfer or personal-care task as an unpaid demonstration.
Ask where the candidate sees risks, missing information, or workload concerns. A thoughtful caregiver should be comfortable asking for training or a professional assessment instead of pretending to know everything.
Ask behavioural questions
- Tell us about a time a client refused care. What did you do?
- Describe a change you noticed and how you reported it.
- How have you supported someone with memory loss while preserving dignity?
- What would you do if family instructions conflicted with the client’s expressed wishes?
- How do you document meals, activities, mood, or incidents?
Follow with questions about what happened and what the person learned.
Discuss realistic safety scenarios
Use situations connected to the care plan: a fall, new shortness of breath, sudden confusion, unsafe driving, missed medication, or exit-seeking. Look for immediate safety, calm escalation, respect, and awareness that emergency services or health professionals may be needed.
The caregiver should not be expected to diagnose or change a medical plan independently.
Clarify personal care and physical demands
Discuss bathing, toileting, continence support, dressing, transfers, and mobility equipment explicitly. Confirm what the caregiver is trained and physically able to do. If a task requires two people or mechanical equipment, do not minimize it during recruitment.
Establish boundaries
Cover keys, cameras, visitors, confidentiality, purchases, receipts, gifts, access to cards or accounts, transportation, and social media. Explain who gives direction and how the caregiver responds if relatives disagree.
An employee or companion should not be asked to make legal, financial, or medical decisions outside the role. If the family needs those services, arrange the appropriate professional or authorized decision-maker.
Review working conditions
Confirm hours, breaks, overnight arrangements, gross pay, overtime, expenses, payroll, time off, and the intended start. Explain that final terms will be written and checked against current provincial requirements.
End with the candidate’s questions
Invite questions about the older adult’s preferences, the family’s communication style, equipment, and support network. Explain reference, credential, background-check, and trial steps. Avoid an immediate offer made under emotional pressure.
Afterward, ask the older adult how the interaction felt, then compare candidates using factual notes. A finalist may be invited to a short paid care trial with clearly limited tasks and family supervision.