10 questions worth asking before you choose a carer

Verification status and reviews are a good starting filter, not the whole picture. Once you've shortlisted a few carers, a short message or phone call before booking tells you far more about fit — and it's exactly what Empatha's in-app messaging is there for.

1. What made you go into care work? Most carers have a real answer, often personal, and it's usually worth hearing.

2. Have you supported someone with a similar situation before? Dementia, mobility needs, and recovery after a hospital stay all call for different experience — ask directly rather than assuming a general carer covers everything.

3. How do you handle a bad day — for you or for the person you're supporting? Patience under pressure is hard to fake in an answer, but it's worth asking.

4. What does a typical visit look like? Some carers are naturally structured, others adapt entirely to the person in front of them — neither is wrong, but it should match what your family wants.

5. Are you comfortable with [specific detail — pets, a particular routine, a language spoken at home]? Small compatibility details make a bigger difference to day-to-day happiness than they might seem to on paper.

The remaining five are just as practical: availability match, travel radius honesty, how they handle changes to schedule, what they'd do in an emergency, and whether they're happy to start with a shorter trial visit before a longer commitment. A carer who welcomes that last question is usually a good sign in itself.