10 Questions to Ask a Companion Care Agency Before Hiring
Before hiring a homemaker companion in Broward County, ask the questions that reveal whether an agency is legitimate, reliable, supervised, and clear about what care will cost.
Before hiring a homemaker companion in Broward County, ask ten questions in three areas: whether the agency is legitimate and screens its caregivers, whether it backs up reliability with supervision and coverage plans, and whether the match, rates, and terms are put in writing. A trustworthy agency answers all ten without hesitation.
Most families have never done this before, so the right questions to ask a companion care agency are not obvious until something goes wrong. Agencies can sound similar on the phone, especially when you are calling under pressure or coordinating care from another state.
Patient Resources Company Home Health Services is based in Plantation, Florida, and serves families across Broward County. We provide both homemaker companions and home health aides, and we would rather every family ask hard questions, including of us, than choose an agency on a friendly phone voice.
What are the 10 questions to ask a companion care agency?
The ten questions below are the short version. Print them, bring them to every agency conversation, and listen for answers that are specific enough to hold the agency accountable later.
| Question | Listen for |
|---|---|
| 1. Are you registered or licensed with AHCA, and can I verify it? | A number given immediately, with an invitation to look it up yourself. |
| 2. Do all caregivers pass Level 2 background screening? | Fingerprint-based screening for every caregiver, confirmed in writing. |
| 3. Are caregivers your employees or independent contractors? | W-2 employees, with the agency handling taxes, training, supervision, and liability. |
| 4. What happens if my caregiver does not show up? | A specific backup process with named steps, not a vague reassurance. |
| 5. Who supervises the caregiver, and how often? | A named supervisor, scheduled check-ins, and a direct line to management. |
| 6. What are companions not allowed to do? | Clear limits, plus a plan for when a home health aide or nurse is needed instead. |
| 7. How do you match a caregiver to my parent? | An assessment of personality, routine, language, needs, and preferences. |
| 8. Will you put rates, minimums, and terms in writing? | A written agreement before care starts, with no pressure to sign on the spot. |
| 9. Are you insured and bonded? | Current liability coverage and bonding, with proof available on request. |
| 10. Can you share local references? | Broward County references offered without defensiveness, with privacy respected. |
How do you know a companion care agency is legitimate?
The first three questions to ask a companion care agency establish whether you are dealing with a real, accountable organization. They also eliminate more weak agencies than almost anything else.
1. Are you registered or licensed with AHCA, and can I verify it?
In Florida, organizations that provide homemaker and companion services must register with the Agency for Health Care Administration. Agencies that also provide hands-on personal care through home health aides hold a full home health agency license.
A good answer is a number given immediately: here is our AHCA number, and you can verify it through FloridaHealthFinder’s facility search. A red flag is hesitation, an answer that sounds like a referral service, or a claim that the agency is still in the process of registering.
2. Do all caregivers pass Level 2 background screening?
Level 2 background screening is Florida’s fingerprint-based check for people working in positions of trust with vulnerable adults. AHCA’s background screening materials describe fingerprint submission through an approved Livescan provider and an eligibility determination before employment in regulated settings.
A good answer is unambiguous: every caregiver completes Level 2 screening before the first shift, and the agency will confirm that in writing. A red-flag answer uses softer words like “we do background checks,” which may not mean fingerprint-based Level 2 screening.
3. Are caregivers your employees or independent contractors?
This question decides who is responsible when something goes wrong. Registries and some low-cost services place independent contractors in homes, which can leave your family acting like the employer, sometimes responsible for payroll taxes, backup coverage, and liability questions.
A good answer is clear: our caregivers are W-2 employees, we handle payroll taxes and workers’ compensation, and we train, supervise, and discipline our own staff. Honest registries should be upfront about a contractor model, which costs less for a reason.
Will the agency actually show up and supervise the caregiver?
Legitimacy gets an agency to the starting line. Reliability is what your family lives with week to week. These questions to ask a companion care agency test whether there is real structure behind the one caregiver you may meet.
4. What happens if my caregiver does not show up?
No-shows are one of the most common complaints in home care. A good answer describes an on-call coordinator, a backup process, and a call to you either way. A red flag shifts the burden to your family or says no-shows never happen.
5. Who supervises the caregiver, and how often?
Supervision is the difference between an agency and a matchmaking service. Listen for a named supervisor, scheduled check-ins, visit note review, and a direct line for concerns.
6. What are companions not allowed to do?
An honest agency is quick to tell you the limits. Homemaker companions help with meals, light housekeeping, errands, transportation, and company. They do not provide hands-on personal care or nursing services.
If your parent already needs bathing, dressing, transfers, or other hands-on support, start with Patient Resources Company’s guide to home health aides vs. homemaker companions. Choosing the wrong level of care creates risk for your parent and for the caregiver.
Is this the right fit, and what will it cost you?
The last four questions cover what families wish they had settled before the first shift: the match, the money, the protection, and the proof.
7. How do you match a caregiver to my parent?
Companionship only works if your parent actually likes the person. A good answer starts with an assessment: someone asks about routine, interests, language, personality, needs, and preferences before proposing a caregiver. A red flag is pure logistics: “we will send whoever is available for that slot.”
8. Will you put rates, minimums, and terms in writing?
Every agency can quote an hourly rate. The real cost lives in the terms around it: minimum shift lengths, weekend or holiday premiums, deposits, rate changes, and cancellation notice. A good answer is simple: yes, we provide a written service agreement and rate details before care begins.
9. Are you insured and bonded?
Insurance and bonding protect your family when something goes wrong in the home, including a caregiver injury, property damage, or theft. A good answer includes liability insurance, workers’ compensation for employees, bonding, and a certificate of insurance available on request.
10. Can you share local references?
A companion care agency serving Broward County should be able to point to families or professionals in Plantation, Coral Springs, Fort Lauderdale, Pompano Beach, Weston, Hollywood, or nearby communities who can speak to its reliability. Privacy matters, but privacy does not prevent a satisfied family from choosing to speak.
The bottom line
The best questions to ask a companion care agency are not complicated. They are specific. A trustworthy agency can explain its license, screening, supervision, backup coverage, caregiver limits, rates, insurance, and local references without making you feel difficult for asking.
Ask us the same questions.
Call Patient Resources Company Home Health Services at (954) 999-0983 or contact us for a free consultation. We will walk through our answers and help you understand whether companion care, a home health aide, or skilled home health services are the right fit for your parent.
What else do families ask about hiring companion care?
Are companion care agencies licensed in Florida?
In Florida, organizations that provide homemaker and companion services must register with AHCA. Home health agencies that provide hands-on personal care hold a full AHCA home health agency license. Either way, ask for the registration or license number and verify it through Florida’s public facility search before hiring.
What is Level 2 background screening?
Level 2 background screening is Florida’s fingerprint-based background check for people in positions of responsibility or trust. For families, the important question is whether every caregiver completed fingerprint-based Level 2 screening before the first shift, and whether the agency will confirm that in writing.
How much does companion care cost in Broward County?
Cost depends on the number of hours per week, the length of each shift, the schedule, and whether your parent also needs hands-on personal care from a home health aide. Ask each agency for rates, minimums, weekend or holiday premiums, cancellation terms, and rate-change rules in writing before care begins.
Can a homemaker companion give my parent medication?
No. Homemaker companions are not nurses and should not administer or manage medications. A companion may be able to provide reminders or limited assistance with self-administration as allowed by Florida rules and the agency’s policies. If your parent needs medication management, ask about nursing or another appropriate level of care.
Can I hire a companion directly instead of through an agency?
You can, but you take on work an agency normally handles: screening, scheduling, backup coverage, payroll taxes as a household employer, supervision, and liability questions if something goes wrong. For many out-of-town daughters and sons, the supervision and backup are the reason to use an agency.
What if my parent needs more than companionship?
That is common, and it is worth planning for at the start. If your parent needs help with bathing, dressing, transfers, or other hands-on care, a home health aide may be the better fit, and some needs call for nursing or therapy. Patient Resources Company’s services include companion care, aides, skilled nursing, therapy, and other in-home supports.
What are the most important questions to ask a companion care agency?
The most important questions to ask a companion care agency are whether it is registered or licensed with AHCA, whether all caregivers pass Level 2 background screening, whether caregivers are employees or contractors, what happens after a no-show, who supervises care, what companions cannot do, how matching works, whether costs are written down, whether the agency is insured and bonded, and whether it can provide local references.
This article is general education for families comparing in-home care options in Florida. It is not legal, financial, or medical advice. Registration, licensure, payer rules, and agency policies can change. Verify details directly with AHCA, the agency, and any payer before hiring care. Reviewed by [Clinical Lead Name], [Credential]. Last reviewed July 2026.