Bringing help into the home is a big step, and how you hire matters as much as who you hire. The two main routes — through an agency or hiring privately — each have real trade-offs in cost, convenience, and responsibility.
Whichever you choose, a little screening up front protects your loved one and gives you peace of mind.
Agency vs. hiring privately
An agency handles the hard parts — screening, background checks, payroll, taxes, insurance, and backup coverage if someone is sick — but costs more and may rotate caregivers. Hiring privately costs less and offers more control and continuity, but you become the legal employer, responsible for taxes, scheduling, and finding backup yourself. Costs vary, but private caregivers commonly run about $25-$35/hour and agency caregivers roughly 30-50% more, reflecting that extra support.
Screen carefully
- Verify credentials, run a background check, and call at least two references
- For agencies, ask how they hire, train, and supervise, and whether they're licensed, bonded, and insured
- Ask what happens if a caregiver misses a shift
- If hiring privately, understand your tax and insurance responsibilities as an employer
- Watch for red flags: won't put services and fees in writing, vague about who the employer is, cash-only with no documentation
Put expectations in writing with a simple care agreement, secure valuables, and hold regular check-ins once care begins.
- Write a clear job description covering the specific help needed.
- Gather referrals (doctor, senior center, Area Agency on Aging) and request written info.
- Screen thoroughly: interview, verify credentials, call references, run a background check.
- If hiring privately, set up employer basics (taxes, insurance) — see IRS Publication 926.
- Put expectations in writing and check in regularly.
Keep the care plan and job description, the signed agreement and any employer paperwork, credential and reference records, and a daily care log plus medication list all in one place.
Frequently asked questions
Should I hire a caregiver through an agency or privately?
An agency handles vetting, backup, payroll, and insurance at a higher cost; a private hire is cheaper and offers more continuity but makes you the legal employer responsible for taxes, scheduling, and backup coverage.
How much does an in-home caregiver cost per hour?
Private caregivers commonly run about $25-$35/hour, while agency caregivers are typically 30-50% more, which covers their training, background checks, insurance, and guaranteed coverage.
What should I ask a home care agency before hiring?
Ask how they hire, train, and supervise caregivers; whether they're licensed, bonded, and insured; how they run background checks; whether you can meet the caregiver first; and what happens if someone misses a shift.
What are the risks of hiring a private caregiver directly?
You become the legal employer, responsible for payroll, taxes, and workers' compensation, and you have no guaranteed backup if the caregiver is sick. The trade-off is lower cost and more control.
What should I ask when interviewing a private caregiver?
Ask about their caregiving and first-aid training, driver's license and transportation, references, and specific experience with your loved one's conditions and needs.