For most of us, a job interview means answering questions instead of asking them. It’s just the way the world works. There are more workers than bosses.
But now you’re in a situation where you’re the one doing the hiring. The position: a caregiver to look after an elderly family member.
You know that you want someone capable, caring and friendly. However, you might not be sure which questions to ask to find that person.
That’s why we’ve put together this list of caregiver interview questions to help you choose the best person to care for your loved ones.
- Have you ever cared for a person who had my parent’s condition before (dementia, stroke, etc.)? If so, please tell us more about that work.
- What certifications do you have for caregiving?
- Do you have CPR or first aid training?
- If I could pay for it, would you be willing to take classes or training to enhance your skills as a caregiver for the elderly?
- Do you have experience with things like cooking, helping people in the bathroom or getting dressed, cleaning or transferring people from wheelchairs into bed?
- Can we conduct a background check?
- Why did you leave your last job? How long were you there?
- Can we talk to your last two employers?
- What are some positive things previous clients would say about you?
- What’s something you didn’t like about your last job?
- Do you have a driver’s license?
- Is your driving record clean?
- Do you have access to reliable transportation?
- Would you be comfortable using my mother’s/father’s car to run errands?
- Would you mind using your own car?
- Do you smoke?
- Are you comfortable with my mom having friends or relatives stop by while you’re here?
- How far away do you live?
- Do you do other work that might interfere with your duties here?
- How much vacation time do you expect?
- Can you find someone to substitute when you take time off?
- Why do you like this type of work?
This last question is particularly important. You want a person with experience, but also someone who enjoys working with senior citizens or has a nurturing nature.
Other considerations
But your search shouldn’t stop with these standard caregiver interview questions.
Chances are you’ve had job interviews where a future employer asked you things like “Describe a situation where you had to make a difficult decision” or “Tell us about a mistake you made at your last job and how you fixed it.”
There’s no reason you can’t ask those sort of open-ended questions when searching for a caregiver for the elderly. Care.com lists a few scenarios you might want to pose to your job prospects:
- What would you do if my mother is grumpy and doesn’t want to have breakfast or get dressed, yet has a doctor’s appointment in a few hours?
- My father is lethargic and feverish. There’s blood in his urine? What do you do? How would you proceed if you couldn’t reach me?
- My mother falls and seems confused. She doesn’t recognize you, acts combative and refuses to allow you to help her. What do you do?
At Pennsylvania Stairlifts, we’re focused on making sure you can provide a safe environment for your parents, whether that means offering up caregiver interview questions, or delivering top-quality home modifications like stair lifts or platform lifts.
Contact us today to see how we can make life simpler and safer for your family.