Short answer: choose a home care agency that is licensed by the state, background-checks and trains its own caregivers, builds a written care plan with your family, sends the same caregivers consistently, and is clear about price with no long-term contract. The checklist below shows what to ask and why it matters.
1. Is the agency licensed?
In California, any agency that sends caregivers into the home for non-medical care must be licensed as a Home Care Organization (HCO) by the Department of Social Services, and its caregivers must be listed on the state’s Home Care Aide Registry. Ask for the license number and look it up.
Errand Runners Unlimited: home care services are provided through ERU Home Care LLC, a California-licensed Home Care Organization, HCO #074700183.
2. Who are the caregivers, and how are they screened?
- Are caregivers background-checked?
- Are they employed and supervised by the agency, or independent contractors you manage yourself?
- What training do they get, especially for Alzheimer’s, dementia and Parkinson’s?
3. Will my loved one see the same caregivers?
Consistency matters, especially for someone living with memory loss. Ask how the agency matches caregivers and what happens when a regular caregiver is out sick or on vacation.
4. How is the care plan built and updated?
A good agency starts with an assessment: health history, mobility, memory, meals, safety risks in the home, and your loved one’s routines and preferences. Ask how often the plan is reviewed and how you will be kept informed.
5. What happens nights, weekends and emergencies?
Ask whether someone answers the phone 24/7, how caregivers are trained for emergencies, and whether the agency can scale up to overnight or 24/7 care if needs change.
6. What does it cost, and what is in the contract?
- Is pricing published, or only given after a sales call?
- Is there a minimum number of hours per visit?
- Are there sign-up fees, mileage charges or markups on purchases?
- Is there a long-term contract or cancellation fee?
- Does the agency accept long-term care insurance or help with veterans benefits?
7. What do other families say?
Read recent reviews on Google and Yelp, and look at how the agency responds. Specific stories about caregivers by name, reliability and communication tell you more than star ratings alone.
Red flags
- No license number, or reluctance to share it
- No written care plan
- A different caregiver every visit
- Pricing that only appears after you commit
- Long-term contracts or large deposits
How Errand Runners Unlimited answers the checklist
- Licensed: ERU Home Care LLC, HCO #074700183
- Caregivers: background-checked and trained, including dementia and Parkinson’s support
- Consistency: we send the same caregivers whenever possible
- Care plan: every client starts with an assessment and a personalized plan that is reviewed as needs change
- Availability: 24/7, with a hotline for clients and caregivers
- Price: published rates from $50 an hour, no long-term contracts, no hidden fees; long-term care insurance accepted; 15% off for veterans
- Reviews: rated 5.0 on Google. Read our reviews
We provide senior home care, respite care, 24/7 care and hospice support in Walnut Creek, Lafayette, Danville, Pleasant Hill, Concord, Alamo, Orinda, Moraga, San Ramon and nearby East Bay communities. Call (925) 515-6824 to talk it through.
