Hiring In Home Care

Being a primary caregiver can be overwhelming. At some point you may find you need help with all the tasks that need doing when you are caregiving at home. Whether you are looking for companionship, personal care, respite care, legal advice, tax preparation, meal preparation or delivery, gardening, transportation, etc. these resources will help you find free, private pay and government programs to meet your needs. None of these resources is specific to Parkinson's disease.


Online Articles | Podcasts & | Interview & Training Worksheets | Helpful Organizations


Online Articles

“9 Care Options for People Living With Dementia,”

by Esther Heerema, MSW. Published by Verywell Health, February 11, 2018

An outline of nine care options for people living with dementia (home health care, home helpers and companions, meal delivery services, rotating family members, adult day care, visiting nurses and physicians, respite care, residential facility options, palliative or hospice care) including where to find care options, how they help and how to pay for them.


“Caregiving at Home: A Guide to Community Resources”

Published by the Family Caregiver Alliance, 2017

Includes information on assessing needs, values & preferences to determine what kind of help/support will best work, and how to hold a family meeting.  Also, community care options, like friends/family/neighbors/religious community, California’s Caregiver Resource Centers, AAAs, senior centers, adult daycare, respite care, meals, Caregiver managers and more.


“Caregiving Question and Answer Tool”

Published by AARP

Choose a topic and click “See all questions” to view all related questions - and answers. Topics include basic caregiving, balancing life and caregiving, insurance and benefits, legal and financial issues, and senior housing and home care. OR find the content you are looking for by using the search box beside “Search Caregiving Q&A.”  Do not be fooled by the ad just above the "Search Caregiving Q&A."


“Caregiver Resource Guides by State”

Published by AARP

Select your state (or, in some states, your city) to view a directory of many government and nonprofit resources accessible both in-person and online with tips to finding services and supports.


The Complete Guide to Home Care

Published by Care.com

This short webpage offers tips for hiring in-home care, including sections on evaluating your loved one's needs, how to vet an in-home caregiver, how to get started as an employer, and management of the new arrangement.


Getting Outside Help

Published by the Parkinson’s Foundation

Because Parkinson's is progressive, care needs will increase over the course of the disease. Knowing your options for bringing care into the home or screening care facilities before they are needed reduces caregiver stress. This page helps you think through whether getting outside help is right for your situation, where to find help, preparing paid caregivers, and if a care facility needed rather than in-home care.  


“Eldercare Locator”

Published by the Department of Health and Human Services Administration on Aging

Connects you to services for older adults and their families.  Call 1-800-677-1116 or use the online finder tool.  Search by location for a list of local agencies and organizations that provide information and assistance for older adults and caregivers.  Search by topic to find national information and resources on topics like adult day programs, food & nutrition, home repair & modification, housing options, in-home services, long term care, nursing home & LTC facilities and transportation.


“Family Care Navigator”

Published by the Family Caregiver Alliance

This online finder tool helps families locate government programs, non-profit organizations and private groups, including those offering health and disability programs, legal resources, disease-specific organizations and more.  

To use this tool, Select a State, or "National" (for all U.S. resources).  Then, to display your results, click on the menu item labeled with the types of organizations, programs, or services you are looking for.


Hiring an Independent Caregiver: Everything You Need to Know

Published by Paying for Senior Care

This comprehensive article includes the definition of independent caregivers and household employees, steps to hire an independent caregiver, responsibilities as a new employer, ongoing management & payroll responsibilities, and the importance of paying an employee legally.


“Hiring In-Home Help” 

Published by the Family Caregiver Alliance

Includes info on deciding when assistance is needed, addressing obstacles like a loved one who doesn’t want outside help and not wanting a stranger in the house, comparing Home Care Agencies vs. private hire, what will it cost and how to afford it, finding the right person, writing a job description, interviewing, writing a contract for hired help, your responsibilities as an employer, communication with your new helper and resource links, including a state of CA caregiver background check.


“Home Health Compare”

Published by Medicare.gov

If you have doctor’s orders for home health care due to an illness or injury, use this online tool to find the best provider in your area.  Enter your zip code or city, state or just your state.  Filter the resulting list by quality of patient care ratings and patient survey summary ratings.  Alternately, enter the name of a home health agency to see how it compares on a 5-star rating scale.


“How to Hire a Caregiver”

Published by AARP

Defines five types of care for hire and outlines a three-step process for hiring a caregiver. Step 1. Get ready: Identify needs and limitations, likes, dislikes, expectations & Dr. recommendations, review insurance and get a doctor’s report confirming need for in-home care. Step 2. Compare options: agency vs. registry. Step 3. Interview applicants from prepared questions.


“Medicare Interactive”

Published by MedicareInteractive.org

Access an array of Medicare topics or search for your topic or questions in the search bar on this website all about educating Medicare users about their benefits.  Medicare topics include health coverage options, covered services, Medicare Advantage, prescription drug coverage, coordinating Medicare with other types of insurance, cost-saving programs, denials and appeals, fraud and abuse, and planning for Medicare and securing quality care.


"The Pros and Cons of Hiring Private Caregivers"

Published by Right at Home

This blog post discusses the pros, cons and practicalities of both hiring private caregivers and hiring caregivers through an agency.


“National Respite Locator”

Published by ARCH (Access to Respite Care and Help)

Helps family caregivers and professionals find respite services in their state and local area.  Features both “Search for Respite” and “Search for Respite Funding” online tools.  This database is not a complete list of all respite programs or possible funding resources.  Search results provide contact information for organizations providing short-term respite and long-term care facilities for vacation respite.


“What are My Other Long-Term Care Choices?”

Published by Medicare.gov

Discharge planners and social workers can explain alternatives to nursing home care including those defined on this page, including community services, home care, accessory dwelling units (ADUs), subsidized senior housing, board & care homes, assisted living facilities, continuing care retirement communities (CCRCs), hospice, respite, Program for All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE), and home and community-based waiver programs.


Podcasts & Webinars

Next Steps in Care: Seeking Outside Help

By the Parkinson's Foundation, March 31, 2021

This 1-hour webinar discusses in detail when to consider getting help as a caregiver, options including paid and unpaid help, as well as issues to consider when hiring in-home care or choosing a care facility. 


Resistance to In-Home Care

By the Stanford Parkinson's Community Outreach Program, June 2024

This four-minute video shares suggestions for spouses and adult child caregivers to gain acceptance of hired caregivers in the home.


Understanding Home Health vs. Home Care

By the American Society on Aging and Home Instead, July 8, 2020

This 1-hour webinar shares the breadth of care options for seniors and specifically discusses the differences between home health and home care, who qualifies for home health and how the two services can be complementary for aging adults to achieve their goal of returning home after a hospitalization and age in place.


When Care Comes to You: Tips for Using Home Health Aides, PTs and OTs

By the Parkinson’s Foundation, June 11, 2019

In this 1-hour webinar physical therapist Julie Hershberg explains the different roles of each professional as well as questions to ask to ensure you find a person that is a good fit for you and how to harness the power of your health care team including your home health aide, physical therapy and occupational therapist.


Interview and Training Worksheets

Orienting a New Home Care Worker

Published by the Parkinson's Foundation

This 2-page worksheet identifies five mistakes that can create problems between you and new home care workers and offers a five-step process to train a worker to do a task. There's also a checklist to help you provide a good orientation to the layout of your home, where the things he or she will need to do the job are kept, and how to operate appliances or medical devices. With this worksheet you may avoid miscommunication and conflict, making the transition to home care or a new caregiver more smooth.


Questions to Ask a Potential Paid Agency Caregiver

Published by the Parkinson's Foundation

This 3-page checklist lists questions you can ask to make sure an in-home care agency can meet your needs, as well as questions to make sure the agency and its employees are competent and have the proper training, licensing and insurance. There is space to record answers to each question.


Questions to Ask a Potential Paid Individual Caregiver

Published by the Parkinson's Foundation

This 2-page checklist lists questions you can ask to make sure the individual can meet your needs, as well as questions to make sure the person is competent and has the proper training, licensing and insurance. There is space to record answers to each question.


Helpful Organizations

“Aging Life Care Association”

Formerly the National Association of Professional Geriatric Care Managers

Geriatric care managers are certified professionals in eight areas: health and disability management, medical billing and insurance concerns, housing options, family communication, local resources, advocacy, elderlaw information and referrals, and medical crisis intervention.  Learn more about Aging Life Care and find a geriatric care manager near you.



Last updated December 2023 by Stanford Parkinson's Community Outreach