Before the first shift, someone has to decide who puts gloves, wipes, cleaning spray, trash bags, paper goods, and laundry supplies in the house. The caregiver will reach for them within the first hour. If nobody named the owner of each item, the family finds out at the worst moment, usually when the box is empty and the person is already standing in the kitchen.

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: List what the work actually uses

  1. Walk each room the caregiver will work in and write down every supply you see: gloves, wipes, cleaning products, laundry detergent, trash bags, paper goods, hand soap, and any personal care items the parent uses every day.
  2. Check the bathroom and the kitchen drawer, not your memory of what is there. Count what is on the shelf now.
  3. Mark the items the caregiver would need that the house does not already stock.

Already on hand: ______________________________

Needed but missing: ______________________________

Step 2: Name the buyer for each line

There are three common arrangements. The family buys and keeps the stock. The caregiver buys and is repaid against receipts. The agency supplies some or all of the items under its own terms. Each one leaves a different paper trail, and each one answers a different question about who is short when a box runs out.

Choose one arrangement for each category, not one for the whole house. Gloves may come from the agency while cleaning products come from the family. Write the split down.

Gloves and wipes: ______________________________

Cleaning products: ______________________________

Paper goods and trash bags: ______________________________

Laundry supplies: ______________________________

Step 3: Ask the questions before you sign

  1. Does your service bring its own supplies to the house, or does it expect the family to provide them?
  2. Which items are on that list, by name?
  3. If the service supplies some items and the family supplies others, is that split written into the agreement?
  4. If a supply is billed as a separate line, where does that line appear on the invoice?
  5. If the caregiver is buying with personal money, how are receipts submitted and how long does repayment usually take?

Write the answers beside each question. A spoken answer is not a supply line. If the agency will not put its answer on paper, note that before you compare it with anyone else.

Step 4: Set the restock trigger

A supply that runs out on Tuesday is a Tuesday problem. Set a trigger for each item, such as a shelf level, a count, or a day of the week. Name the person who checks the count and the person who buys.

Trigger for gloves: ______________________________ Checked by: ______________ Bought by: ______________

Trigger for cleaning products: ______________________________ Checked by: ______________ Bought by: ______________

Trigger for paper goods: ______________________________ Checked by: ______________ Bought by: ______________

Step 5: Write the supply page for the house

Put one sheet on the refrigerator or inside the cabinet door. List each category, the buyer, the trigger, and the place where receipts go. The caregiver should be able to read it without calling you. Keep a copy with the signed agreement so the paper matches what was agreed.

Signs to stop and ask again

  • The caregiver is buying regularly on a personal card and no one has agreed to the reimbursement method.
  • The agency describes its supply arrangement only in conversation and will not put it in the agreement.
  • The same item runs out twice in one week and nobody has changed the trigger.
  • The caregiver starts asking for money to cover supplies before any receipt is shown.

When the supply page is on the refrigerator and each line has a name beside it, the first 72 hours go to the parent instead of the cabinet. For the rest of the setup, go to Start Here: Five Steps to Hiring.