Many arrangements run into trouble in the second week over plain household questions that nobody asked before signing. Animals, smoke, scents, and phone use decide whether a person can work in the home every day without friction. Ask these before you commit, and write each answer next to its question.

Local option: New Plan Care gives families in the St. Louis area in-home help so a parent can stay home: companionship, help with bathing and dressing, meals, and overnight care. Call (314) 405-0887.

Step 1: Ask about animals

  1. Is the caregiver comfortable with the dog or cat in the house, and do they have animals at home that could come in with them?
  2. Who handles feeding, litter, and walks, and is that written in the binder or the agreement?
  3. If anyone in the house has an allergy, write it on the sheet and ask the provider how they will handle it.

Step 2: Ask about smoke and cleaning products

  1. Is smoking allowed in the house or on the porch, and does the caregiver smoke?
  2. Which cleaning products are already in the house, and is the caregiver allowed to use them?
  3. If any medical equipment is in use in the house, ask the equipment provider or the doctor what safety rules apply. This desk does not give that advice.

Step 3: Ask about phones, meals, and rooms

  • Phone use during a shift, including calls, music, and video. Household rule: ____
  • Meal preparation to the family's written list: ____
  • Rooms the caregiver should not enter: ____

Step 4: Write the answers on one sheet

  • Animals in the house and who cares for them: ____
  • Smoking rule: ____
  • Cleaning product rule: ____
  • Phone rule during shifts: ____
  • Meal rule: ____
  • Rooms off limits: ____

Signs to slow down

  • The caregiver answers the animal or smoke question with 'we will see' and gives no written rule.
  • The provider says the household rules will be worked out later, with no time set for that conversation.
  • The family has not agreed on the rules among themselves, so the caregiver hears different answers from different people.

A caregiver who has answered these before the first shift is easier to supervise after it. The Hire a Caregiver in St. Louis: Agency or Direct page covers the wider choice between the two routes.