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How to hire a senior caregiver

Senior caregiver hiring summary. Here are some key points about hiring senior caregivers in the United States:

  • There are a total of 14,161 senior caregivers in the US, and there are currently 67,227 job openings in this field.
  • The median cost to hire a senior caregiver is $1,633.
  • Small businesses spend $1,105 per senior caregiver on training each year, while large companies spend $658.
  • It takes between 36 and 42 days to fill the average role in the US.
  • It takes approximately 12 weeks for a new employee to reach full productivity levels.
  • HR departments typically allocate 15% of their budget towards recruitment efforts.
  • Saint Paul, MN, has the highest demand for senior caregivers, with 13 job openings.

How to hire a senior caregiver, step by step

To hire a senior caregiver, you should create an ideal candidate profile, determine a budget, and post and promote your job. Here's a step-by-step guide on how to hire a senior caregiver:

Here's a step-by-step senior caregiver hiring guide:

  • Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
  • Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
  • Step 3: Make a budget
  • Step 4: Write a senior caregiver job description
  • Step 5: Post your job
  • Step 6: Interview candidates
  • Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new senior caregiver
  • Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does a senior caregiver do?

A senior caregiver is responsible for supporting the elderly, disabled patients, and other persons with illnesses or has difficulty managing themselves alone and assist them with their daily activities. Senior caregivers monitor the patients' behaviors, keep records of health conditions, administer medications, and prepare the patients for medical procedures. They also coordinate with the attending physicians and other medical health professionals in developing quality care plans and services for the patients, following the standard procedures and health safety requirements.

Learn more about the specifics of what a senior caregiver does
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  1. Identify your hiring needs

    First, determine the employments status of the senior caregiver you need to hire. Certain senior caregiver roles might require a full-time employee, whereas others can be done by part-time workers or contractors.

    Determine employee vs contractor status
    Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

    Hiring the perfect senior caregiver also involves considering the ideal background you'd like them to have. Depending on what industry or field they have experience in, they'll bring different skills to the job. It's also important to consider what levels of seniority and education the job requires and what kind of salary such a candidate would likely demand.

    This list presents senior caregiver salaries for various positions.

    Type of Senior CaregiverDescriptionHourly rate
    Senior CaregiverPersonal care aides help clients with self-care and everyday tasks. They also provide social supports and assistance that enable clients to participate in their communities.$10-17
    NannyNannies are family employees who are primarily responsible for taking care of children in the family's house. They are usually tapped to take care of the kids while the parents are at work or away on vacation... Show more$12-29
    AideAides are personal employees of their clients who commonly have health issues that render them unable to do certain tasks. They help out their clients with activities they may need assistance in... Show more$10-16
  2. Create an ideal candidate profile

    Common skills:
    • Companionship
    • Senior Care
    • In-Home Care
    • Home Health
    • Medication Reminders
    • Meal Prep
    • RUN Errands
    • Compassion
    • Oral Hygiene
    • Incontinence Care
    • Medical Care
    • CPR
    • Patients
    • PET
    Check all skills
    Responsibilities:
    • Provide day-to-day assistance to the elderly with ADL needs.
    • Light housekeeping including pet care, empty and sanitize commode.
    • Maintain familiar routine, assist with decision making and pet care.
    • Assist patient with ADL's, by means of cooperative service plans.
    • Care of clients with Alzheimer's, dementia, stroke and post-operative hip replacement surgery.
    • Demonstrate sensitivity and compassion to patient.
    More senior caregiver duties
  3. Make a budget

    Including a salary range in the senior caregiver job description is a good way to get more applicants. A senior caregiver salary can be affected by several factors, such as the location of the job, the level of experience, education, certifications, and the employer's prestige.

    For example, the average salary for a senior caregiver in Arkansas may be lower than in Vermont, and an entry-level engineer typically earns less than a senior-level senior caregiver. Additionally, a senior caregiver with lots of experience in the field may command a higher salary as a result.

    Average senior caregiver salary

    $13.83hourly

    $28,771 yearly

    Entry-level senior caregiver salary
    $22,000 yearly salary
    Updated December 16, 2025

    Average senior caregiver salary by state

    RankStateAvg. salaryHourly rate
    1Oregon$35,056$17
    2California$30,931$15
    3New York$29,877$14
    4Wisconsin$29,664$14
    5Minnesota$29,157$14
    6Colorado$27,703$13
    7Pennsylvania$27,532$13
    8Illinois$27,408$13
    9Michigan$26,802$13
    10Florida$25,422$12
    11Arizona$25,325$12
    12Ohio$24,641$12
    13Indiana$24,624$12
    14Alabama$24,453$12
    15Oklahoma$22,560$11
    16Texas$22,489$11
    17South Carolina$20,678$10
    18Mississippi$20,524$10
    19Louisiana$20,448$10

    Average senior caregiver salary by company

  4. Writing a senior caregiver job description

    A senior caregiver job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. To help get you started, here's an example of a senior caregiver job description:

    Senior caregiver job description example

    If you think you have the heart, the compassion, and the willingness to learn, apply today and we will contact you within 24 hours!

    As an Always Best Care Team Member we are not only prioritizing our clients needs, we make sure you will enjoy many benefits including:

    -Paid training

    -Weekly pay (direct deposit)

    - 401k Retirement Savings Plan

    - Employee Assistance Program

    -Access to dental, vision, and life insurance after 60 days

    -Weekend shift premiums

    Along with the support of an award winning office team!

    These benefits along with a clear path to advancement all add to your learning and earning capabilities.

    We also provide free in office Covid testing to all employees and immediate families, and training in Covid prevention so you will be safe with us.

    Qualities Needed:

    To be part of our caregivers team, you must be extremely trustworthy, reliable and attentive, as our clients will depend on you to take care of them during some of the darkest hours.

    Job responsibilities include:

    • Providing hands on personal care including assistance with ambulation, transfers, toileting, bathing, grooming, etc.

    • Turning and repositioning as well as mouth care. (For some high level care clients)

    •Establish open communication and developing friendly relationships with seniors and their families

    • Encouraging activity and movement as well as inspiring a positive, can-do attitude when it comes to daily tasks, appointments, and hobbies.

    •Light housework and preparation of snacks, drinks, and med reminders may also be required. Each care plan is different.

    •Some clients have dementia and exhibit confusion and other behaviors, so a high level of energy and dedication will be required.

    Other requirements include the following:

    -At least 18 years of age and eligible to work in the US

    -State Registered Nurse Aide preferred but not required if experience and skill can be proven and demonstrated. If you do not have experience, apply anyway, as we - can provide you with all the training you need.

    -Valid driver's license, car insurance, and reliable transportation

    - Good communication skills including verbal and written

    - Willing and able to pass a drug test and criminal background check

    - Physically able to care for another human as demonstrated by the ability to stand for long periods of time and to carry 35 lbs a distance of 25 ft multiple times per day.

    If you are dedicated to helping people, apply today, and let's talk about how we might be a good fit for you!

    Always Best Care of Greater Lexington provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, sexual orientation, or genetics. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, etc.

    We have different available schedules:

    12-hour shift

    10-hour shift

    8-hour shift

    Live in

    Day shift

    Holidays

    Night shift

    Overnight shifts

    On-call

    Weekdays and Weekends available

    Part-Time / Full-Time shifts

  5. Post your job

    To find senior caregivers for your business, try out a few different recruiting strategies:

    • Consider internal talent. One of the most important talent pools for any company is its current employees.
    • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and your current work to ask if they know any senior caregivers they would recommend.
    • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit entry-level senior caregivers with the right educational background.
    • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter have more than 3.5 billion users, and they're a great place for company branding and reaching potential job candidates.
    Post your job online:
    • Post your senior caregiver job on Zippia to find and recruit senior caregiver candidates who meet your exact specifications.
    • Use field-specific websites.
    • Post a job on free websites.
  6. Interview candidates

    To successfully recruit senior caregivers, your first interview needs to engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. You can go into more detail about the company, the role, and the responsibilities during follow-up interviews.

    You should also ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match the ideal candidate profile you developed earlier. Candidates good enough for the next step can complete the technical interview.

    The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

  7. Send a job offer and onboard your new senior caregiver

    Once you've found the senior caregiver candidate you'd like to hire, it's time to write an offer letter. This should include an explicit job offer that includes the salary and the details of any other perks. Qualified candidates might be looking at multiple positions, so your offer must be competitive if you like the candidate. Also, be prepared for a negotiation stage, as candidates may way want to tweak the details of your initial offer. Once you've settled on these details, you can draft a contract to formalize your agreement.

    It's also important to follow up with applicants who do not get the job with an email letting them know that the position is filled.

    To prepare for the new employee's start date, you can create an onboarding schedule and complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9 forms, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Human Resources should also ensure that a new employee file is created.

  8. Go through the hiring process checklist

    • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
    • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
    • Define job responsibilities and requirements
    • Establish budget and timeline
    • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
    • Write job description
    • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
    • Promote the job internally
    • Process applications through applicant tracking system
    • Review resumes and cover letters
    • Shortlist candidates for screening
    • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
    • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
    • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
    • Conduct background checks on top candidates
    • Check references of top candidates
    • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
    • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
    • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
    • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
    • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
    • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)
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How much does it cost to hire a senior caregiver?

Hiring a senior caregiver comes with both the one-time cost per hire and ongoing costs. The cost of recruiting senior caregivers involves promoting the job and spending time conducting interviews. Ongoing costs include employee salary, training, benefits, insurance, and equipment. It is essential to consider the cost of senior caregiver recruiting as well the ongoing costs of maintaining the new employee.

The median annual salary for senior caregivers is $28,771 in the US. However, the cost of senior caregiver hiring can vary a lot depending on location. Additionally, hiring a senior caregiver for contract work or on a per-project basis typically costs between $10 and $17 an hour.

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