Top 10 Questions to Ask Any Home Care Agency Before Hiring

Picking a home care agency for yourself or someone you love is a big deal -- probably one of the most important decisions your family will make. The right agency brings safety, compassion, and peace of mind. The wrong one? Stress, safety concerns, and money down the drain.

So before you sign anything, make sure you ask these 10 questions. They will help you separate the great agencies from the ones that just look good on paper.

1. Are You Licensed and Certified?

In Wisconsin, home care agencies need to be certified by the Department of Health Services (DHS) to provide Medicaid-funded personal care services. Ask for their provider ID number and verify it yourself. Support Plus Personal Care is a Medicaid-certified provider (Provider ID: 100286406).

While you are at it, ask about liability insurance and workers' compensation coverage. This protects both you and the caregiver -- and any reputable agency will have it.

2. How Do You Screen and Train Your Caregivers?

This is really a safety question, and it is one of the most important things you can ask. Get specific:

• Background checks -- criminal history, caregiver misconduct registry, and sex offender registry
• Reference checks -- previous employment and character references
• Competency testing -- do they test practical skills before hiring?
• Ongoing training -- how often do caregivers get additional training?

At Support Plus Personal Care, every caregiver passes a thorough background check, reference check, competency test, and in-person interview before they ever work with a client.

3. What Services Do You Provide?

Not all agencies do the same things. Make sure you know exactly what they cover:

• Personal care (bathing, dressing, grooming, toileting)
• Supportive care (meal prep, light housekeeping, errands)
• Medication reminders and management
• Companionship and social engagement
• Mobility and transfer assistance
• Respite care for family caregivers
• Specialized care (dementia, veteran care, chronic conditions)

4. How Do You Create and Update Care Plans?

A solid agency builds a care plan around your loved one's actual needs -- not a one-size-fits-all checklist. Ask them:

• Who puts the care plan together? (It should involve a registered nurse and the client's doctor)
• How often is it reviewed and updated?
• Can the family give input?
• What happens if your loved one's needs change suddenly?

5. What Are Your Hours of Availability?

Some agencies only work during business hours. Others offer around-the-clock coverage. You need to know what you are getting:

• Weekday, evening, and weekend availability
• Holiday coverage
• Minimum and maximum hours per visit
• Emergency or last-minute scheduling options

6. What Happens If My Regular Caregiver Is Unavailable?

Consistency really matters in home care. Your loved one builds trust with their regular caregiver, and constant changes can cause real anxiety. So ask:

• Do you assign a consistent caregiver to each client?
• What is your backup plan when someone calls out?
• Will we meet the substitute caregiver before they start?
• How do you handle caregiver turnover?

7. How Do You Handle Complaints or Concerns?

Even the best agencies run into issues sometimes. What really matters is how they deal with them. Ask:

• Who do I contact with concerns? Is there a direct phone number?
• What does your complaint resolution process look like?
• How fast do you typically respond?
• Can I request a different caregiver if there is a personality conflict?

8. What Insurance Plans Do You Accept?

Nobody likes surprise bills. Get the financial picture clear upfront:

• Which insurance plans do you accept? (Medicaid, HMOs, CMOs, private insurance)
• Are there any out-of-pocket costs?
• How does billing work? How often are invoices sent?
• Do you help with insurance authorization paperwork?

Support Plus Personal Care accepts Medicaid/Title 19, HMOs, CMOs, and other health insurance plans.

9. Do You Provide Supervision and Quality Monitoring?

You want to know that someone is keeping an eye on the quality of care over time. Ask:

• Is there a supervising registered nurse?
• How often does a supervisor visit the client's home?
• Do you run client satisfaction surveys?
• How do you keep tabs on caregiver performance?

10. Can I Speak with Current or Past Clients?

Nothing beats hearing from real people. References and testimonials give you honest insight into what working with the agency is actually like:

• Can you share references from current clients or their families?
• Do you have online reviews or testimonials I can look at?
• What is your client retention rate?

Bonus: Questions to Ask When Meeting a Specific Caregiver

If you get the chance to interview the actual caregiver (not just the agency), here are a few more worth asking:

• What experience do you have with my loved one's specific condition?
• How do you handle emergencies?
• What would you do if my family member refused care?
• Are you comfortable with the specific tasks in the care plan?