The short answer
Before hiring help for an aging parent, ask about credentials and insurance, exactly what the person will and will not do, how they will keep you informed, how scheduling and pricing work, and whether your parent feels comfortable with them. The last one matters as much as the rest combined.
Bringing someone into a parent’s daily life is a real decision. Anchor Concierge put this list together from what families tend to wish they had asked sooner.
Credentials and background
You are trusting this person with someone you love, so ask directly:
- What licenses or credentials do you hold, and are they current?
- Are you insured, and what does the policy cover?
- How long have you worked with older adults, and in what role?
- Have you had a background check, and can I see the result?
- Can you share references from families you have helped?
Do not feel awkward about any of these. A professional will expect them.
Exactly what is and is not included
This is where most misunderstandings start. A family assumes a service includes something it does not, and the gap becomes a risk. Be specific:
- Which tasks do you handle, and which do you never do?
- Do you provide hands-on or personal care, or is the service strictly non-medical?
- If my parent needs something outside your scope, will you help us find it?
- What do you do if my parent has a medical emergency while you are there?
- What happens if you are sick on a scheduled day?
Communication with the family
For families who live far away, communication is the service. Ask how often you will hear from them and what an update will include. Will they call if something seems off even when it is not an emergency? How do they handle it when your parent says one thing and they see another? These answers show how someone thinks about the role.
Scheduling, pricing and flexibility
Life with an older parent changes week to week. Understand the rules before you commit:
- What is the minimum visit length, and what does extra time cost?
- How much notice do you need, and can you take last-minute requests?
- What is your cancellation policy?
- Do you offer monthly plans, and what happens to unused hours?
- Is there a contract, and how do we end it?
The cost guide for St. Petersburg explains how these factors shape the monthly total.
Personal fit
Credentials and logistics are necessary, but they are not the whole picture. Your parent has to feel at ease with this person, and so do you.
If you can, include your parent in the first conversation. Watch how the person speaks to them. Do they listen? Do they talk to your parent directly, or only to you? Does your parent relax as the conversation goes on? Those observations often tell you more than any checklist.
How Anchor Concierge answers the key questions
If you are considering Gina, here are her answers to the questions above that she can answer in writing:
- Credentials: Gina is a Florida Licensed Practical Nurse, licensed since 2013, with more than a decade of experience caring for people. More about her is on the About Gina page.
- Insurance: Anchor Concierge is fully insured.
- Scope: The service is non-medical and non-hands-on, so personal care such as bathing, dressing, toileting and medications is not part of it. If your parent needs that kind of care, she will say so and help you find it.
- Who shows up: You always work with Gina, not a rotating staff.
- Updates: Gina keeps families informed after visits.
- Pricing: $120 for a two-hour minimum, $60 for each additional hour, or a monthly membership from $460 for 8 hours. Every rate is on the pricing page.
- Commitment: No long-term contract. Start with one visit if you like.
- Language: English and German.
For anything not listed here, ask Gina directly during the consultation. A good provider welcomes the questions.
Making the decision
After your conversations, give yourself a day before deciding. Compare the answers side by side, and pay attention to anyone who was vague about scope, insurance or cost. Then ask your parent how they felt. If the answer is a shrug, keep looking. If they are already planning what to put on the first grocery list, you have probably found the right person.
Gina offers a free 20-minute consultation by phone or in person so you can put every one of these questions to her. If she is not the right fit, she will tell you. For more on supporting a parent who lives in Pinellas while you live elsewhere, read about help for parents from out of state.