FAQ

MyCareMatch your comprehensive resource for seniors and disabled adults searching for care options. Our service allows you to easily locate and connect with independent caregivers, home care agencies and care communities in your area. Based on your answers to our profile questions, your search results will provide care options that most closely match your needs or preferences, allowing you to save time and effort by starting your search with more qualified matches.  We can also help you with the selection process with options for background checks, reference interviews and license verifications.

MyCareMatch is also a place to educate yourself on your care options and senior care issues so you can make the most informed decision regarding your care arrangements.

No. Feel free to browse and run searches within any of our care categories for options in your area and connect with any of the home care agencies or care communities as a visitor. To gain more extensive information regarding independent caregivers, we do ask that you register as a user. When you’re ready to gain a more qualified list of potential caregivers, you’ll have the option of building a more detailed profile of your care needs.

As our name suggests, caregiver search results are based on your profile and will be prioritized to most closely match your needs. This saves you from having to sort through the profiles of a long list of caregivers that might not be a good fit for you and really customes your search results to your individual needs.

We understand that the care needs of seniors and disabled adults are unique and often specialized, so our service is focused on those needs. Many other sites have multiple categories of care, from nannies to pet sitters, often resulting in caregivers crossing between categories. We’re a specialized resource for seniors and adults having care needs, so you won’t find babysitters on your list of potential caregivers.  What you will find is a list of care providers with an interest in working specifically with seniors and those with disabilities.

Building a profile detailing your specific care needs will allow you to have the most qualified and effective search results. Starting your search with a list of caregivers most closely matching your needs and preferences will save you time in your selection process and improve your chances of finding an appropriate care match.

Search results are prioritized based on your answers to the profile questions. Caregivers at the top of the list will have the most similarities to your care needs and personal preferences. This will allow you to focus on those care providers most closely meeting your care needs, saving you time and frustration by narrowing your care search.

There’s no need to continually post new job profiles and no expiration date once you’ve posted your current care needs. Simply update your profile in the “Edit Profile” area of your account to describe your current care and scheduling needs. Then check the box at the bottom of the page which states “Actively Seeking Providers”. Your profile and care needs will now appear to care providers searching for work in your area.

Three simple steps:

• Update your care needs
• Click Actively Seeking Providers
• Save Changes

Once you’ve hired someone or are no longer looking for care simply change your status to “Not actively seeking providers” and you will no longer appear in search results

Once you’ve activated a membership, you’ll be able to contact potential providers by clicking the “Contact this Caregiver” button in their profile. Caregivers will receive an email in their MyCareMatch account, as well as in their personal email. It’s recommended that you always contact potential providers via your MyCareMatch account instead of providing your personal contact information.

There are a lot of factors to consider when selecting a potential caregiver. For the most accurate results, it’s very important to provide as much information as possible on your profile. It’s also critical that you thoroughly review each potential caregiver’s profile to narrow your search down to the most appropriate and compatible candidates.

One you have a short list of potential caregivers, you will want to review background and reference checks and conduct thorough interviews with likely prospects. We can help you with this process. For more information and useful tips, read (Insert link)

As a resource and referral service, MyCareMatch does not employ or represent caregiver members. Employment relationships are between you and the caregiver. However, our partners can assist you with arrangements such as payroll and tax preparation. Find out more about this service here: (Insert link)

Hourly wages are negotiated between you and the caregiver—this is typically a mutually-beneficial arrangement. Since caregivers are often able to work for you directly, they will often earn a better hourly wage; you will usually pay less than you would paying an agency. During the process of agreeing on a rate, it’s important to remember that this person will be providing necessary care to you or your loved one. Compensating them with a fair and reasonable wage will ensure that your caregiver feels appreciated and fully invested in their work.

Payment arrangements and timeframes are determined between you and your caregiver. You can keep track of your caregiver’s hours, pay them directly from your account and handle their taxes yourself. Alternatively, you can simplify this process by using a payroll service to manage payment and taxes. We can help with this through our partner:

(Insert link here)

Because you manage and control your caregiver’s job responsibilities, scheduling, pay rate and most other aspects of the work arrangement, your caregiver is considered your employee, as opposed to an independent contractor.

As you’re considered your caregiver’s employer, you’re also responsible for handling their taxes. You have a few choices on how you manage this:

• You can handle this chore yourself. However, completing employment taxes can be a complicated and time-consuming process. Your time is likely already limited with managing your loved one’s care and daily routine.
• You can hire an accountant. You will need to keep careful records to provide to your accountant at the necessary reporting periods.
• You may choose to utilize a payroll service. You can hire them to manage your taxes and payroll, or just your taxes. Using a payroll service allows you to focus on the most important things in your life: family, work or well-being.  We can help with this through our partner (Insert link here)

Absolutely. Caregiving is a position requiring the highest level of trust and integrity; few people have as much access to your home and involvement in your life. To ensure your safety and protect your assets, it’s critically important that you thoroughly screen any candidates you’re considering hiring for your home care.

Not all background screenings are not created equal. A preliminary national database screening can help you narrow your list of candidates, but this is just a start. Since many states and counties do not report regularly—or at all—regarding dispositions, it’s important to follow up with a more involved background search. We recommend that you at least include direct County inquiries for your final candidates. MyCareMatch can help with this, as well as employment verifications and reference checks. Please check the following link for more information on our background screening services: Background Checks Page

A little extra investment and time spent screening your candidate will help improve your opportunity to find that perfect care match!

When you’re interested in following up with a potential caregiver, you can request to have a background check run on that person or see one that’s been previously run. Simply access the provider’s profile page and click on the buttons for “Request Background Check” or “Request to view Background Check.” The provider can then respond by granting or denying permission.

Once you have permission, you will be sent a link to view that caregiver’s background check results. Be sure to note how recent their report was completed and what type of search was done. We suggest following up on national criminal database reports with a more involved background check to verify that person’s history. Please see the following link on background check options for more information: Background Checks Page

Background checks are not all created equal. You should read the fine print before you purchase one to be assured you know exactly what you’re getting including how thorough the search will be. Many agencies will charge a premium for a “thorough criminal database search” and additional fees for direct courthouse inquiries. It’s important to realize that there is no such thing as a perfect criminal history database, as some counties or jurisdictions don’t report regularly, if at all. It’s possible that someone can have several convictions in your town or previous places they’ve lived, but if it’s not reported to the database it will not show in a criminal database search.

Basic database searches should be treated as a preliminary screening tool only. If you are serious about hiring a potential care provider and allowing them access to your home it’s critical that you conduct the most thorough background check possible. To do this it’s necessary to include a direct inquiry to each county that person has lived in. This means someone with the background check agency will actually directly contact each of the counties where the care provider has lived for the last 7 years and check for any convictions. This is the only way to diligently screen the background of your potential caregiver.

Here at MyCareMatch.com your health, safety and security is our highest priority. We’ve partnered with Proforma Screening Solutions, a leader in the employment background screening industry, to provide you with the screening options you’ll need to help you in this important process. For more information on the various background screening options available to you please continue to our Background Checks page.

MyCareMatch.com has partnered with Proforma Screening Solutions, a leader in the employment background screening industry, to provide the highest level of quality control and accuracy you should expect from a background check provider.

Each background screening package we offer includes a dynamic search of over 400 million county, Department of Corrections and Administration of the Court criminal records. A search is also run on multi-state sex offender and violent offender data from 50 states, and U.S. government and international debarment, sanctions, and watch list data. We’re also including a Social Security locator and verification search. Any criminal “hits” or positive results automatically result in a direct court verification for quality control to ensure that the information is accurate.

In addition, all Enhanced Screening packages include a direct county criminal court records search as well as a Federal criminal court record search for the last seven years. Other providers often advertise a search fee, but then pass any additional court records processing fees on to you which can quickly add up if the care provider has lived in multiple areas. Here you pay only one low fee for your background check regardless of any applicable court costs.

At MyCareMatch.com we value your health, safety and care above all else which is why we have partnered with a background check provider that sets the industry standard in the level of quality control, accuracy and customer service that you should expect when making your care decision.

Background checks previously run on caregivers remain active for up to one year. However, because a lot can happen in a short period of time, we recommend that you use previous checks as initial screening tools only to narrow your list of candidates. It’s a good idea to conduct an additional thorough background screening and interview to ensure there have been no recent issues.

Remember, your loved one’s safety, well-being and financial security is dependent on getting the right person to help with their care. A little extra investment and time spent screening your candidate will help improve your opportunity to find that perfect care match!

Absolutely! Navigating the selection process for a caregiver can be time consuming, but it’s extremely important to be diligent in your screening process. It’s estimated that over 50% of job applicants are not truthful regarding employment history.

At MyCareMatch we can help with the verifications you need. Along with your background screening, you can add options on our system for professional reference checks, license verification or education verification. This information is vital to ensure that your potential caregiver has honestly reported their background and accomplishments. It also helps in gaining insight from previous employers on the caregiver’s personality and work ethic to give you an idea of what it will be like to work with him or her. Please see the following link for more information on how to add this valuable option to your background screening: (insert link)

Your potential clients are looking for you here! At MyCareMatch.com our focus is providing care option information to seniors and adults with disabilities. Visitors to our site are specifically looking for your services—we do not market multiple care categories—such as pet care or nanny services—like a lot of other sites do.

In addition, no other caregiver resource provides so much opportunity to showcase your skills and experience. MyCareMatch.com will match your detailed profile with those of clients looking specifically for what you have to offer. Our system qualifies search lists so that caregivers are listed by order of compatibility, allowing clients to search specifically for caregivers that will most appropriately meet their needs or preferences.

Did we mention that starting with a basic profile is FREE?

Other sites produce random lists with countless profiles that clients have to sort , resulting in qualified caregivers being lost in the shuffle. At MyCareMatch.com a client’s search results are prioritized based on your answers to the profile questionnaire. Care providers are listed based on those having the most similarities or matches to a client’s care needs and personal preferences. That’s why it’s important to answer all the questions on your profile as thoroughly as possible. This will allow for the most appropriate placement on the list and improve the opportunity for compatible clients to find you. In addition, it will allow clients to gain a clearer picture of your skills, experience and preferences, getting to know you based on your profile information.

There are several ways to shine as a potential care provider when a search is run. The most important and effective method is to make sure you’ve completed your profile page as thoroughly as possible. This will help narrow a client’s search results so when you appear on their list, they’ll already know you have many of the qualifications they’re looking for.

Another way to help potential clients get to know you is to provide detailed information regarding your background such as employment history, education and training. Be as thorough as possible in this area to help a potential client understand your skills, qualifications and expertise. This will help them feel confident in your competency as a care provider.

You may also want to share something meaningful about yourself, such as why you’re interested in caregiving, aspects of your personality, or what makes you such a unique caregiver. Make sure to post a picture of yourself as well—care seekers tend to shy away from profiles that don’t include a photo. Remember that as a caregiver, you will be a major part of this person’s life. As such, clients need to feel not only confident in your ability to do the job, but also that you will be a good fit for them as a person. Connecting with a client that you are truly compatible with will help improve your opportunity for a long-term and mutually-positive care experience!

Having a thorough and well-rounded profile is the first step to making a care seeker’s short list when they’re screening for potential caregivers. Be honest and avoid embellishing your experience and accomplishments. Integrity and honesty are critical to developing effective relationships with clients, and for them to feel they can trust you with their care, health and assets.

Another way to be more attractive to potential clients is by running a background check on yourself. Once it’s run, we’ll place a badge on your profile that will allow clients to request access to this information. Running at least an initial basic background screening may help clients feel more at ease with moving forward in the process with you.

It’s very important that you’re prompt in responding to clients once you’ve been contacted; follow up with them quickly regarding any questions or additional information that’s requested. Clients will see your responsiveness and initiative as an indication of how you will approach your work as a care provider.

There are few experiences more stressful than an interview you’re not prepared for, so make sure to practice! If you’ve reviewed your background and given some thought to how you might answer common interview questions, you’ll approach your interview with more confidence, and clients will feel more at ease with your presentation. Though caregiving is not an office job, it’s still an interview, and a professional appearance can make a lasting client’s first impression! Use this as an opportunity to really showcase what makes you a unique and competent caregiver!

Any registered MyCareMatch.com user can access and view your profile. This allows potential clients to freely browse care providers in their area and screen for those that most appropriately meet their needs. Visitors to the site who haven’t registered can browse and run searches where they’ll see caregiver listings. However, to view your full profile they will at least need to register as a user.

Yes, we recommend running a background check on yourself as a way to better market yourself and provide assurance to potential clients. Once run, we’ll place a badge on your profile that will alert clients that you have one on file and help you stand out from the crowd. You’ll also have a link within your profile page that will allow clients to request access to this information.

Running at least an initial basic background screening may help clients feel more at ease with moving forward in the process with you and will help you distinguish yourself from others.

For more information regarding background check options and to request one, click on the following link:

(Insert link)

Clients reviewing your profile can request to have a background check run on you or see one that’s been previously run by clicking on the buttons for “Request Background Check” or “Request to view Background Check.” You can then respond by granting or denying permission. Once you have granted permission, the client will be sent a link to view a copy of your background check.

Because your client will manage and control your job responsibilities, scheduling, pay rate and most other aspects of the work arrangement, you’re considered an employee of the client, not an independent contractor. As your employer, your client will most likely be responsible for managing your payroll, record keeping and filing necessary tax information when required. If you make $1000 or more per quarter or $1800 per year, your client will likely need to file taxes for your wages. In addition, as an employee you will have to file your personal taxes indicating this income. It is vital that you coordinate with your client to ensure that payroll and taxes are files appropriately so you stay in good standing with the IRS. Failure to comply with this requirement can result in severe penalties, and in some cases criminal charges. In addition, filing payroll and taxes correctly allows you to be eligible for benefits such as unemployment insurance.

Managing and record keeping for payroll and taxes can be time consuming and overwhelming. Be sure to mention to your client that we can help with this process through our partnership with _______. Click the link below for more information

(Insert Link)

Your rate of pay is negotiated between you and your client. There are many factors to consider when agreeing on what would constitute a fair rate. Some common considerations might be:

• The client’s care needs. Typically your rate of pay will relate to how extensive or complex your client’s care plan and needs are.
• Your experience and education. Caregivers with more experience, licenses or certifications may warrant a higher wage than less-qualified providers.
• Special skills. Being qualified and experienced in conducting certain complex care procedures required by your client may justify a higher rate of pay.
• Region. Each region of the country differs regarding average rate of pay. It’s important to understand what other caregivers are making in your area for similar work when determining what you might charge.
• Your client’s budget. Many clients are on limited income or have strict budgets for their care needs.

Work with your client to determine what will be fair for both of you. Your work is extremely important and you should be compensated accordingly. However, make sure to consider all factors and your client’s situation. Avoid making your decision solely on your hourly wage. Having a comfortable and positive relationship with your client also has value.