• Check licenses, training, experience, and references.
• Be sure the person who is applying for hire has malpractice or liability insurance.
• Run a criminal background check and a driving record check (through a private investigator). Also, ask to see the person's insurance card.
• Find out if the person has a special skill (for example, has worked with care receivers who have chronic lung or other respiratory disorders).
• Decide whether the person is someone who can meet the emotional needs of the person in your care.
• Consider his or her personal habits.
• Find out if he is a smoker or nonsmoker.

Questions to Ask of the Applicant's References:

When someone is going to be hired, ask for the names of people who can tell you about this person's work and personal habits. Here are some questions you can ask:

• How long have you known this person?
• Did this person work for you?
• Is this person reliable, on time for work, patient, able to adjust as things change, able to be trusted, and polite?
• How does this person handle disagreements and emergencies?
• How well does this person follow directions, respond to requests, and take advice?