Questions to ask before hiring a companion care provider
For families comparing providers or preparing for a first conversation.
Scope and fit
- Which of our requested tasks can you provide, and which are outside your category?
- What should happen if the person begins to need hands-on personal care?
- Do you serve the exact address, and what schedule constraints should we know now?
The person entering the home
- How do you decide whether the person receiving support and the companion are a good interpersonal fit?
- What screening, orientation, training, and supervision do you actually perform?
- Who employs or contracts with the companion, and who handles a concern?
Schedules and communication
- Who confirms the schedule and who should the family contact about a change?
- What happens if the scheduled person is late, unavailable, or not a good fit?
- What routine information can be shared, with whose consent, and by what method?
Price and terms
- What is the current hourly or visit price?
- Are there visit minimums, travel charges, holiday rates, cancellation fees, or other costs?
- Is there a long-term commitment, and how can service be changed or stopped?
Listen for specifics
A useful answer names the process, the person responsible, and the limit. “We always put clients first” is a value. It is not an operational answer until the provider explains what they do when a visit changes or a task falls outside scope.