Questions to Ask When Hiring a Carer

If you decide on home care, there are several questions you should ask to ensure that your loved one will stay safe, healthy and happy:

1. What happens if our carer becomes ill or are otherwise unavailable? What are the alternate arrangements? At Right at Home we will introduce at least two carers early on, and take alternative contact information in case you are unavailable for any reason. Likewise we will give you an emergency number to contact should you need to reach us out of office hours.
2. Does the agency pay tax relating to our carer, so that our family is not legally responsible? All our carers are employed directly by Right at Home, so we pay their tax and National Insurance contributions. You pay only for the care we provide.
3. Can you verify that our carers are legally able to work in Ireland? At Right at Home we carry out identity checks on all staff.
4. If our carer is injured at a client's residence, who is responsible? (Many homeowner's insurance policies exclude injuries to "domestic employees.") Right at Home carers are fully insured for personal injury and damages.
5. Do you perform criminal background checks? Do you check carers' references from prior work history? All Right at Home staff undergo enhanced criminal background checks and must provide at least two references, one from their last employer.
6. How do you document that your services were indeed completed? Carers complete daily records that are kept in the client's house, and deliver signed time sheets to the office.