1Choose the tasks you want help with.
2Ask who will come and when.
3Ask what the full price includes.
4Keep the service contact and agreement.
Describe the help, not just a job title
List tasks such as cleaning agreed rooms, collecting shopping, or accompanying a nonmedical outing. Ask what the service excludes and whether supplies or travel are included. A broad title such as caregiver does not tell you which tasks are covered. If clinical care is needed, ask the doctor about an appropriately qualified service.
Ask who comes and how changes work
Ask how the provider checks staff identity, experience, and any qualifications required for the agreed work. Confirm the named contact, arrival window, late-arrival procedure, and replacement arrangements. Let your parent meet or speak with the person where practical. Discuss how either side can raise a concern without assuming a trial visit guarantees suitability.
Read the total price and terms
Request written details of the tasks, time, minimum booking, extra charges, payment schedule, and cancellation or replacement terms. Keep receipts. Ask for clarification before signing anything you do not understand. This guide is a comparison tool, not a contract review; legal or insurance questions need the relevant qualified professional or provider.
Agree access and the first handover
Explain household preferences, how the helper should announce arrival, and who can authorize changes. Handle keys and access permissions privately. Share only necessary information with your parent’s agreement. After the first visit, ask what was completed and whether the arrangement suited the person. Report an unresolved issue through the agreed contact.
Use the worksheet for one real situation
Open the matching sheet below. Review the preparation checklist, then write the information your family needs in the labeled fields. Leave unknown details blank and record who can clarify them.
Tasks
Included and excluded
People
Who comes; how replacements work
Costs
Full written terms and extras
Concerns
A named service contact
Print a blank copy to write by hand, or fill it in on this page before printing. Give the completed copy only to people your parent has agreed may see it. The checklist records preparation; it does not score safety or verify a medical decision.
Common questions
Is the cheapest service the best choice?
Compare the same tasks, hours, staff arrangements, and written terms before comparing totals.
Can a household helper provide medical care?
Do not assume so. Ask a doctor about the qualified service needed for clinical tasks.
Who checks the agreement?
Ask the provider to explain and seek qualified legal advice where needed. This worksheet does not approve contracts.
Source and scope
Background on sharing family responsibilities. The contact agreement and handover examples here are original templates, not a monitoring service.
The examples and worksheets are original household planning tools. For symptoms, medication decisions, or other medical questions, contact a doctor.