The first visit is the moment a stranger gets past your front door. Plan that moment before anyone is scheduled, not when the car pulls into the driveway.

Local option: New Plan Care gives families in the St. Louis area in-home help so a parent can stay home: companionship, help with bathing and dressing, meals, and overnight care. Call (314) 405-0887.

Get the name in writing

Ask the agency to send the name of each caregiver assigned to your home before the first visit. Ask whether they will also send a photo or a badge description. Write down who is coming, the time window, and the name of the office person who sent it. Keep that message. It is your record.

Agree on a check the aide can pass

Ask the agency what identification the caregiver carries and what they show at the door. A good agency answers in one sentence. If the answer is vague, record that as a finding. Ask whether the caregiver will call the office from the driveway, and whether the office will read the name back to you on that call.

Decide who in the house runs the check. If you are at work, name the person who can make the call. Do not leave the check to whoever happens to answer the bell.

Plan for the mismatch

Sometimes the person at the door is not the person on the schedule. Sick days, swaps, and late assignments happen. The question is what happens next, and you should have the answer before it matters. Ask the agency:

  • Who do I call when the name does not match?
  • Will the office confirm a substitute by phone before the caregiver comes inside?
  • Am I still charged for the visit if I send the caregiver home at the door?

Keep the door routine simple

Write a one-page sheet for the house. It should say who opens the door, who makes the call, and what to do if the name is wrong. Keep one copy by the door and one with whoever is the family contact. Anyone in the house should be able to follow it without you.

What to check on the first visit

  • Did the caregiver arrive inside the window you were given?
  • Did the office call or text you when the caregiver was on the way?
  • Did the person at the door match the name and description you received?
  • Did the caregiver sign the visit record before leaving?

A clean arrival is a small thing. A missed one tells you where the process is weak. Write it down either way, and bring it up with the office before the second visit.

Agencies that answer these questions plainly show their process on paper. See How We Rate for how we read that kind of answer.