Before a family signs with any agency, three things should be confirmed on paper: the business is what it says it is, its insurance covers the work done inside the home, and a named office contact answers when the family calls. These checks take less time than a tour and answer questions that a brochure does not.
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.
Confirm the registered business
Ask for the legal name of the business exactly as it appears on the agreement and on the registration papers. Check that name and the business address against the state's public business lookup. If the agency holds a state license for any service it describes, ask for the license number and check it yourself rather than accepting a copy. An agency that cannot give a legal name and address in writing has answered the question.
Read the insurance paper
Ask for a copy of the certificate of insurance showing the coverage types the agency carries, including liability coverage and workers' compensation for its caregivers. Confirm that the agency is named on the certificate and that the certificate lists the policy period. Ask the agency to send the certificate by email so the family can read it at home. Ask who to contact if a caregiver is hurt in the home, and get that answer in writing.
Confirm the office contact
Get a direct office phone number, the hours it is answered, and the name of the person who answers when the main contact is away. Ask how the office logs a call from the family and how long it takes to return one. If the answer depends on a single person, ask for the backup name now.
Ask how the caregivers are employed
Ask whether each caregiver is on the agency's own payroll or works under another arrangement, and ask how the agency handles scheduling, training records, and time off for those caregivers. Write the answers down. A family that understands the arrangement can ask better questions about coverage when a shift is missed. For questions about employment or liability law, a family can consult an attorney directly.
Compare the answers
Put each agency's answers side by side in a plain table with rows for the legal name and address, the insurance certificate, the office contact, and the caregiver arrangement. Any blank row is a question to ask again before signing. The site's ranking method, explained on the methodology page, does not replace these checks, since a ranking cannot see the paper in your hand.