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Home Care Agency
Comparison Worksheet

Find the Right Care for Your Parent

Comparing home care agencies is overwhelming. This worksheet helps you ask the right questions, compare options side-by-side, and spot red flags before you sign.

ParentCareGuide.com

Questions to Ask Every Agency

About the Agency

How long have you been in business?

Are you licensed and bonded? (Ask for proof)

Are you Medicare/Medicaid certified? (If billing insurance)

What's your caregiver-to-supervisor ratio?

How do you handle complaints?

About the Caregivers

Are caregivers employees or independent contractors?

What background checks do you perform?

What training is required? Ongoing training?

Are caregivers bonded and insured through the agency?

Can we meet/interview caregivers before they start?

What if we don't like the assigned caregiver?

About the Care

What services do you provide? (Bathing, meals, medication reminders, etc.)

What DON'T your caregivers do?

Do you create a care plan? How often is it updated?

How do you handle medical emergencies?

Can caregivers administer medications?

Do you provide specialized dementia care?

About Scheduling & Costs

What's your minimum hours per visit/week?

What's your hourly rate? Are there different rates for different services?

Is there a contract? What's the cancellation policy?

Do you accept long-term care insurance?

What happens if a caregiver calls out sick?

Are there extra charges for holidays/weekends?

Side-by-Side Comparison

Question	Agency 1	Agency 2	Agency 3
Agency Name
Phone
Contact Person
Credentials
Licensed?	□ Yes □ No	□ Yes □ No	□ Yes □ No
Bonded & Insured?	□ Yes □ No	□ Yes □ No	□ Yes □ No
Years in Business
Background Checks?	□ Yes □ No	□ Yes □ No	□ Yes □ No
Services
Personal Care (bathing, dressing)	□ Yes □ No	□ Yes □ No	□ Yes □ No
Medication Reminders	□ Yes □ No	□ Yes □ No	□ Yes □ No
Meal Preparation	□ Yes □ No	□ Yes □ No	□ Yes □ No
Light Housekeeping	□ Yes □ No	□ Yes □ No	□ Yes □ No
Transportation	□ Yes □ No	□ Yes □ No	□ Yes □ No
Dementia/Memory Care	□ Yes □ No	□ Yes □ No	□ Yes □ No
Overnight Care	□ Yes □ No	□ Yes □ No	□ Yes □ No

Costs & Policies Comparison

Cost/Policy	Agency 1	Agency 2	Agency 3
Pricing
Hourly Rate (Weekday)	$	$	$
Hourly Rate (Weekend)	$	$	$
Hourly Rate (Holiday)	$	$	$
Overnight Rate	$	$	$
Live-In Rate (daily)	$	$	$
Minimum Hours/Visit
Minimum Hours/Week
Policies
Contract Required?	□ Yes □ No	□ Yes □ No	□ Yes □ No
Contract Length
Cancellation Notice Required
Cancellation Fee?	$	$	$
Accepts LTC Insurance?	□ Yes □ No	□ Yes □ No	□ Yes □ No
Backup if Caregiver Sick?	□ Yes □ No	□ Yes □ No	□ Yes □ No

Estimated Monthly Cost Calculator

Hours per week needed: ______ × Hourly rate × 4 weeks = Monthly cost

Agency	× Rate	= Monthly Cost
Agency 1	$	$
Agency 2	$	$
Agency 3	$	$

Red Flags to Watch For

🚩 Warning Signs of a Bad Agency

Won't provide proof of licensing or insurance
Vague about background check process
Pressure to sign long-term contract immediately
Can't clearly explain what services are/aren't included
High staff turnover (ask about caregiver retention)
Won't let you interview or meet caregivers first
No supervisor oversight or care plan
Negative reviews mentioning same issues repeatedly
Significantly cheaper than competitors (why?)
Poor communication during inquiry process

✅ Green Flags - Signs of a Good Agency

Transparent about all costs and policies
Thorough intake assessment before starting care
Written care plan, regularly updated
Supervisor visits to check on care quality
Easy to reach with questions or concerns
Backup caregivers available
Long-tenured caregivers (low turnover)
Positive, specific reviews
Clear process for changing caregivers if needed

Final Ratings & Decision

Rate each agency 1-5 (5 = best)

Category	Agency 1	Agency 2	Agency 3
Professionalism	① ② ③ ④ ⑤	① ② ③ ④ ⑤	① ② ③ ④ ⑤
Services Offered	① ② ③ ④ ⑤	① ② ③ ④ ⑤	① ② ③ ④ ⑤
Value for Cost	① ② ③ ④ ⑤	① ② ③ ④ ⑤	① ② ③ ④ ⑤
Communication	① ② ③ ④ ⑤	① ② ③ ④ ⑤	① ② ③ ④ ⑤
Gut Feeling	① ② ③ ④ ⑤	① ② ③ ④ ⑤	① ② ③ ④ ⑤
TOTAL	___/25	___/25	___/25

Our Decision

Agency chosen:

Reason:

Home Care AgencyComparison Worksheet