How to hire a caregiver safely

Free to everyone, whether or not you found the caregiver here. Because Sakina Care doesn't vet anyone, this checklist is not optional reading — it's the vetting.

Ten steps. None of them are awkward to ask for — a good caregiver has done all of this before and will respect you more for asking.

1. Talk by phone first. Ten minutes of conversation filters more than an hour of messages. Notice how they talk about previous clients — respect and warmth, or complaints and vagueness?
2. Meet in a public place, or with family present. First meetings happen at the masjid, a coffee shop, or your home with two family members there — never one-on-one at the elder's home.
3. Check government photo ID. Confirm the name matches the listing and any certificates. A photo of the ID next to their face takes ten seconds and no honest caregiver refuses.
4. Call at least two references. Ideally previous care families. Ask: How long did they work for you? Were they reliable? Why did it end? Would you hire them again — and if the answer pauses, ask why.
5. Run a background check. $20–40 at services like Checkr, GoodHire, or your county court portal. For regular unsupervised care, this is not optional. Ask the caregiver to run one on themselves and share the result if you prefer — reimbursing the fee is a kind gesture.
6. Verify certifications directly. CNA/HHA licenses can be checked on your state's registry website in minutes. "Certified" should mean a certificate you've seen.
7. Start with a paid trial period. Two to four visits, with a family member present or dropping in unannounced. Watch how they treat your parent when they think no one is evaluating.
8. Put it in writing. One page: duties, days and hours, rate, overtime, cancellation notice, house rules (privacy, phone use, guests). Both sign, both keep a copy. Disagreements shrink when the paper already answers them.
9. Handle money like an employer. Pay on time, by a traceable method — and know that regular household employment can come with tax obligations (the "nanny tax" applies to caregivers too; a tax preparer can set you up in an hour). Never hand over cards, PINs, or cash beyond wages; lock away valuables and medications.
10. Keep checking in. The first month, call your parent often and visit unannounced. Sudden changes — withdrawn mood, missing items, a caregiver who discourages visits — are always worth investigating, gently and immediately.

Red flags — walk away, and report the listing

• Won't show ID, provide references, or agree to a background check.
• Asks for money before work begins (deposits, "registration fees", transport advances).
• Pushes to move the conversation off-platform immediately and rushes commitment.
• Story shifts between the listing, the call, and the meeting.
• Claims medical skills they can't document, or offers services only a licensed professional may perform.

For caregivers: protect yourself too

• Meet new families in public first, and tell someone where you're going.
• Never work the first week unpaid ("trial shifts" are paid — see step 7).
• Use the written agreement — it protects your hours and your rate.
• Families should treat your background check and documents with respect, not entitlement; a family that sneers at your boundaries now will sneer at your invoices later.

The Prophet ﷺ said: "Trust in God — and tie your camel." Verification is not suspicion; it's the sunnah of prudence, owed to the one you love.