20 Questions to Ask a Home Care Agency Before You Sign

September 8, 2026

A family meeting with a home care agency representative at a dining table

Every home care agency will tell you its caregivers are compassionate and carefully screened. The way to tell the good ones apart is to ask specific questions and listen for specific answers. Print this list, call two or three agencies, and ask for a free in-home assessment from the ones that answer well.

Licensing and oversight

Is the agency licensed by the state, and what is the license number? Most states license home care agencies; a few do not. Ask, then look it up on the state health department site.
Are caregivers employees or contractors? Employees are covered by the agency's workers' compensation and liability insurance. With contractors, an injury in your home can become your problem.
Are you bonded and insured? Ask for the certificate. This protects you against theft and accidents.
If we need nursing or therapy, are you Medicare certified for home health? Many agencies are not. If they are, ask for their Medicare star rating, or check it here.

Screening and training

What does your background check cover? A good answer includes a criminal check in every state the person has lived, the sex offender registry, the abuse registry, driving record if they will drive, and reference checks. Ask how often checks are repeated.
What training do caregivers get before their first shift, and each year? Look for hands-on training in transfers, bathing and infection control, plus dementia-specific training if that applies.
Are caregivers certified (CNA or HHA)? Not required for companion care, but important for hands-on personal care.
Who supervises the caregiver, and how often does a supervisor visit the home? A nurse or care manager should visit at the start and then on a schedule, not only when something goes wrong.

Scheduling and reliability

What is the minimum visit length and minimum hours per week? Three or four hours per visit is typical. Some agencies have weekly minimums too.
What happens if the caregiver cannot make a shift? The right answer is a named backup and a guarantee of coverage, not "we'll do our best."
Will we have the same caregiver each time? Ask how they match caregivers to clients and what happens if the fit is wrong.
How much notice do you need to change or cancel a shift? And is there a charge for late cancellation?
Can you cover nights, weekends, holidays and 24-hour care? If you might need them later, ask now.

Cost and paperwork

What is the hourly rate for the level of care we need, and what is not included? Ask specifically about surcharges for personal care, dementia care, nights, weekends, holidays, short notice and mileage.
Do you accept long-term care insurance, Medicaid waiver programs or VA benefits, and will you bill them directly? Agencies that bill insurance directly save you months of paperwork.
Is there a deposit, a registration fee, or a contract term? Most reputable agencies work week to week with no long commitment.

Care and communication

Will you write a care plan, and how often is it reviewed? Ask to see a sample. It should list tasks, preferences and warning signs to report.
How will we know what happened during a visit? Daily notes, an app, a call from the caregiver, a weekly check-in from the office. Any of these is fine; none of them is not.
Do you have experience with dementia, Parkinson's, diabetes, or the specific condition we are dealing with? Ask for examples, not assurances.
Can I speak with two current clients or their families? A confident agency says yes.

What good answers sound like

Specific, quick and unembarrassed. An agency that names its backup process, quotes its rates without hedging, and hands you a care plan template is one that has done this many times. An agency that answers every question with "it depends" and "we're like family here" may be lovely, but you are buying reliability.

Ready to start calling? Compare home care agencies near you, with reviews, services, and rates where agencies publish them. Or tell us what you need and we will send your request only to the agencies you pick.