Printable checklist
Questions to ask before you hire a home care agency in Ontario
Copy or print these questions before your first call. Clear answers protect your family member and make it easier to compare agencies on more than availability alone.
Key points
- Ask how caregivers are screened, supervised, oriented, replaced, and supported over time.
- Request clear written information about care plans, billing, invoices, cancellations, and changes.
- Discuss emergencies, substitute coverage, access, handovers, and how family will be notified.
- If dementia is involved, ask about communication routines, personal care, agitation, wandering, and training.
Screening and police checks
Ask how caregivers are recruited, interviewed, reference-checked, and screened before their first shift. In Ontario, it is reasonable to ask whether each caregiver has a current Vulnerable Sector Check and how often checks are renewed. Also ask who interviews candidates and whether skills relevant to your family member are assessed.
Who supervises caregivers
Ask who assigns the caregiver, checks quality, responds to concerns, and conducts care reviews. Find out how new caregivers are oriented to your parent’s routine, home, and preferences, and who you contact when the plan is not working.
Consistency of caregiver
Ask how many different caregivers could arrive in a normal week and what the agency does to maintain continuity. Confirm whether a regular caregiver can be requested, how absences are covered, and how much notice you will receive when a change is necessary.
Insurance and WSIB expectations
Ask for evidence of commercial liability insurance and, where workers compensation applies, a current WSIB clearance. If transportation is part of the service, ask about automobile insurance as well. The agency should explain its coverage plainly and tell you which documentation it can share.
Written care plans and changes
Ask to see a sample care plan format before care starts. A useful plan names the tasks, schedule, preferences, safety notes, and emergency contacts. Ask how updates are requested, who approves them, and how changes are confirmed in writing.
Billing and invoices
Ask how often invoices are issued, which payment methods are accepted, and when payment is due. Request an explanation of every line that can appear on an invoice: visits, hours, mileage, administration, holidays, and applicable taxes. You should know how to query a charge and receive a corrected invoice.
Cancellation policy
Ask how much notice is required to cancel a visit, whether shorter notice carries a charge, and how hospital admissions or emergencies are treated. Also ask what happens if the agency cancels, arrives late, or cannot provide the promised caregiver.
Emergencies and substitute caregivers
Ask what caregivers do in a medical emergency, when they call 911, and when they contact family. Confirm who provides substitute coverage, how substitutes are briefed, and how the family is notified. Discuss door access, alarm codes, and neighbour contacts before the first shift.
Dementia experience
If your family member lives with dementia, ask how caregivers support communication, routine, personal care, agitation, wandering risk, and changes in behaviour. Ask whether caregivers receive dementia training and how the agency involves family when the plan needs to change.
References and documentation
Ask whether the agency can offer client references, then contact them with specific questions. Ask to see its screening policy, sample care plan, sample visit notes, insurance documentation, WSIB clearance where applicable, service terms, and cancellation policy. Keep notes from every conversation so you can compare answers accurately.
Use your answers
A strong agency will welcome detailed questions and answer them without pressure. If answers are vague, documents are unavailable, or promises exist only in conversation, treat that as useful information.
Before the appointment, read what happens at a home care consultation.
When you compare agencies in Ontario, use the same categories for each one: screening, supervision, continuity, coverage, documentation, billing, and cancellation terms. Availability matters, but consistent care depends on the systems behind the individual caregiver.
While gathering answers, check home care sector resources, WSIB coverage information, and community resource connections.
Frequently asked questions
What screening documentation should an agency provide?
Ask how caregivers are recruited, interviewed, reference-checked, and screened before their first shift. In Ontario, it is reasonable to ask whether each caregiver has a current Vulnerable Sector Check and how often checks are renewed. Also request screening policy, liability insurance information, and WSIB clearance where applicable.
What should a home care plan include?
A useful written care plan names the tasks, schedule, preferences, safety notes, and emergency contacts. Ask to see the format before care starts, how updates are requested, who approves them, and how changes are confirmed in writing. Sample visit notes can also show how observations are recorded and shared.
How do families compare caregiver continuity?
Ask how many different caregivers could arrive in a normal week and how continuity is maintained. Confirm whether a regular caregiver can be requested, how absences are covered, how much notice to expect for changes, and how substitutes are briefed. Keep notes from each agency so comparisons use the same categories.
Sources
If you would like to compare these answers in Simcoe County or the Greater Toronto Area, contact Alcove Home Care for a free consultation.
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