If you have been entrusted, or taking on the responsibility of caring for someone you love you know there is the need for a significant amount of outside help. Sometimes this comes in the form of a clinically trained professional and other times it comes from the help of an outside family or friend.

If you have make the decision to go with the latter then you may be doing it for a number of reasons. Perhaps you like that you can go with a friend of the family because it’s someone whom you know and feel an instant trust with. Perhaps you have went a family friend because it’s someone your disabled loved one feels comfortable with or perhaps it’s because you see that there is some money to be saved by going with someone who doesn’t have the medical training. For whatever reason you need to make sure you both are on the same page about how to care for the loved one in question. Being on the same page is paramount to ensuring everyone’s comfort level.

Make sure you are all aware of what the exact level of care you expect. Write out a list if you have to marking down every responsibility that needs to be met. It’s important that the newly hired care giver is aware. This will save you from a disagreement later on about what the confines of their job are.

Make a list or explain to them what a typical day should look like. It’s important that they understand what a day should be because it gives them direction on their job. It might seem a little formal but it also might be best to have a written agreement signed by both of you on what you expect and what they should expect from you. Make sure this has everything from sick days, vacation days, policy about calling into work. Remember, you are their employer now and so you need to give them some of the same guidelines as any other job. Being honest and upfront will save you stress later on.