Hiring a Home Caregiver for Your Parent: 9 Things to Agree on Before the First Day

An agreement before hiring a caregiver for an older parent should cover 9 things: the shift pattern, when the caregiver rests, meals and a place to sleep, fees, deposit and days off, which tasks the caregiver can do, the start date and how you choose the person, what happens if the match is wrong, the service area and travel costs, and the documents you can ask for. If these nine points are settled before day one, it greatly reduces the chance of the problems and disputes that make home care fall apart.

Many families who hire a caregiver end up changing the person or stopping early, and it is rarely about the quality of care. It is usually a small question nobody asked on the first day: where will the caregiver sleep, who provides meals, who looks after your mother on the caregiver's day off, or who handles the tasks that need special training. When these surface at night, when everyone is tired, they become uncomfortable for both sides. This guide walks through a 9-point checklist with the real terms of KIN HomeCare for each point, so you can take it to us or to any other provider.

Quick answer

• Shifts: A 12-hour shift has two windows, 08:00–20:00 or 20:00–08:00. A 24-hour shift is one live-in caregiver. If someone must be awake all night, use two 12-hour caregivers instead.
• Prices: Daily hire has a 3-day minimum: THB 1,800 per day for a 12-hour shift, THB 2,500 per day for 24 hours. Monthly starts at THB 30,000. Daily hire needs a THB 2,000 deposit that is not refundable on cancellation.
• Meals and bed: The caregiver's meals are included in the price. The family provides a bed.
• Scope of work: Daily care is done by caregivers (nursing assistants). Specially trained care tasks such as suctioning need a caregiver trained in that task. Nursing procedures need a registered nurse.
• Replacement: If the caregiver does not meet standards or behaves inappropriately, you can replace them once at no cost. Simply not being a good personal fit is not covered, so review the profile and describe your parent's personality first.
• Documents: Receipts and tax invoices are available. We do not issue medical certificates, and insurance claims are not possible.

1. Shifts and rest (points 1–2)

Start with when your parent actually needs someone. The wrong shift is the most common source of mismatched expectations.

Point 1: 12-hour or 24-hour shift

• 12-hour shift: two windows, daytime 08:00–20:00 and night 20:00–08:00. Other hours can sometimes be arranged; tell the team when you book.
• 24-hour shift: one caregiver stays with your parent throughout the day and night.

The quickest way to decide is to ask how many times a night your parent needs someone awake. If they sleep through, do not need turning, are not confused and do not get up often for the toilet, a 24-hour shift is enough. If they need care several times a night, use two 12-hour caregivers, one for days and one for nights, so that each is properly rested when on duty.

For more on choosing, see daily elderly care shifts, 12 and 24 hours.

Point 2: When does a 24-hour caregiver rest

A 24-hour caregiver rests when your parent rests, for example after 22:00 at night. That means while your parent sleeps, the caregiver sleeps too rather than staying awake all night.

The trap is to book a 24-hour shift when someone truly has to be awake all night. The caregiver never gets real rest, and after a few days the quality of care drops through no fault of anyone's intention. Answer the Point 1 question honestly before choosing. If someone must be awake all night, choose two 12-hour caregivers from the start.

2. Meals and a bed for the caregiver (point 3)

This looks small but is what families ask about most on the first day.

• Caregiver's meals: the caregiver arranges their own meals, and the cost is already included in the service price. You do not need to prepare or pay extra.
• Caregiver's bed: the family provides it.

For a 24-hour shift, put the bed where the caregiver can hear your parent call and can actually rest, not in a corner that has to be packed away each morning. A decent place to sleep is what gives the caregiver the energy to care for your parent the next day. For a 12-hour shift, a place to sit and rest briefly while your parent naps is enough.

If space is tight, such as a one-room home or a condo, tell the team when you book so you can work out the arrangement together.

3. Caregiver fees, deposit and days off (point 4)

These are the KIN HomeCare rates for a home caregiver (nursing assistant) as of September 2026.

Daily (3-day minimum)

• 12-hour shift: THB 1,800 per day
• 24-hour shift: THB 2,500 per day

Weekly (7 days)

• 12-hour shift: THB 12,000
• 24-hour shift: THB 16,000

Monthly, caregiver has one day off per week

• 12-hour shift: THB 30,000
• 24-hour shift: THB 36,000

Monthly, all-days cover with no days off

• 12-hour shift: THB 36,000
• 24-hour shift: THB 41,000

Days off: the point to settle clearly

With the monthly plan that includes a weekly day off, on the caregiver's day off the family must look after your parent. Before you choose it, ask yourself honestly whether someone at home is free and able that day. If nobody can step in, choose the all-days plan, where the caregiver covers every day.

A quick comparison: hiring a 12-hour caregiver daily for 30 days would be THB 1,800 × 30 days, well above the THB 36,000 monthly all-days rate. If you know you need care for a full month, monthly is cheaper. Daily hire suits short stretches, such as the first days after a hospital discharge or a trial period.

A case families often overlook is needing someone awake all night, which means two 12-hour caregivers. On the monthly plan with days off that is THB 30,000 per caregiver times two (with days off), compared with THB 36,000 for one 24-hour caregiver. With days off, each caregiver has one day off a week, and on that caregiver's day off the family covers that shift; a single 24-hour caregiver also has one day off a week, which the family covers for the whole day. If you need someone every day, compare the all-days rates instead: THB 36,000 per caregiver times two for 12-hour shifts, against THB 41,000 for one 24-hour caregiver. The two figures differ because the work is different, not because one is dearer. Choose by what your parent actually needs.

Deposit and payment (daily hire)

• 3-day minimum
• THB 2,000 deposit, which covers the cost of recruiting the caregiver through our nursing team. It is not refundable if you cancel.
• Pay for the service at least 1 day before the start date.

For weekly and monthly hire, ask our staff about deposit terms when you book, as they are arranged case by case.

4. What the caregiver can and cannot do (point 5)

This is the most important point on the list, because it decides whether the caregiver who arrives matches the care your parent needs. The simplest dividing line is this: tasks a hospital teaches a family to keep doing at home can be done by a caregiver who has been trained for them. Nursing procedures belong to a registered nurse. There are three levels.

Level 1: daily care, done by caregivers

• Bathing, wiping down, feeding and giving medicines
• Tube feeding
• Turning, taking vital signs, walking with your parent
• Changing diapers

Level 2: specially trained care tasks

These include suctioning, care of a tracheostomy tube, insulin injections and simple, shallow wound care of the kind a family can do at home. They are done by a caregiver trained in that specific task, under the supervision of our registered-nurse team. Our nurse team assesses each individual before a task is handed over. The price is the same as for a standard caregiver.

The key point is that not every caregiver is trained in every task. Tell the team about these needs when you book, and they will assign a caregiver trained for that task. If you do not, you may find on the first night that suctioning is needed and nobody is prepared.

Level 3: nursing procedures, registered nurse only

• Inserting or changing a nasal feeding tube
• Changing a urinary catheter
• Injections other than insulin
• Deep or complex wounds

Families have two options for this group. See home nursing care for details.

1. Keep a caregiver in the home and call a registered nurse to visit only on the days a procedure is needed. Procedures start at THB 1,200 per visit (for example wound care THB 1,200, changing a nasal feeding tube THB 1,600, changing a urinary catheter THB 2,200).
2. Have a registered nurse stay for the whole shift: THB 3,500 per day for a 12-hour shift.

If you are unsure whether your parent needs a nurse or a caregiver, compare them in home nurse cost versus caregiver.

Medicines: agree who does what

A caregiver can help give medicines only from the doctor-prescribed medicine list once it has been set up; the family or a nurse is responsible for the medicine-organising system, and the caregiver does not change the medicine, the amount or the timing alone. Changing which medicine is given, or how much, is for the doctor alone. Before the start date, put your parent's current medicines into a clear system and make sure the caregiver knows what is taken at which meal. A practical method is in a medication system for older adults at home.

5. Start date, choosing the caregiver and replacement (points 6–7)

Point 6: How fast can it start, and can I choose

• Start: usually within 2–3 days. Urgent starts carry no extra charge.
• Profiles first: caregiver profiles are available for you to review before the start.
• Gender preference: you can request a gender, but male caregivers are few, so ask early if you want one.

Point 7: What if the caregiver is not right

If the caregiver does not perform to standard or behaves inappropriately, you can request a replacement once, at no cost.

What to understand is that if the caregiver works to standard but the family simply does not click with them, a replacement is not available. Choosing well at the start therefore matters. Do two things before the start date:

1. Read the caregiver profile carefully.
2. Tell the team about your parent's personality, preferences and worries, for example whether they like to chat or prefer quiet, what time they wake, and what they dislike, so the team can match someone compatible from the outset.

It also helps to tell your parent in advance that a caregiver is coming, so they feel part of the decision rather than facing a stranger unprepared. If you are still unsure whether it is time to hire, read 5 signs it is time to hire a caregiver.

6. Service area, travel costs and documents (points 8–9)

Point 8: Area and travel

KIN HomeCare provides care at home nationwide. Travel costs depend on the area, and our staff will tell you before the job is confirmed. There is no fixed central figure, so ask about travel clearly when you speak with the team. Families in Chonburi and Pattaya can read home care in Chonburi and Pattaya.

Point 9: Receipts, medical certificates and insurance

• Receipts and tax invoices: available.
• Medical certificates: not issued, as this is a home care service.
• Insurance claims: not possible.

If you need a receipt for something else, such as a tax deduction or a claim at work, tell our staff in advance so the document carries the right name and details.

7. Beyond the 9 points: agree how you will communicate

The 9 points above are for agreeing with the team. This section is for the family to discuss among themselves and with the caregiver on the first day, because it keeps care running smoothly over time.

• Agree on a channel and time for updates: for instance a short chat at shift change, or one notebook kept by the bed. Useful things to note are how much your parent ate, how they slept, bowel and bladder, which medicines were given, and anything unusual. One channel that everyone uses is better than the caregiver repeating the same news to several relatives.
• Agree who decides: in a family with several siblings, choose one person as the main contact for the caregiver so that instructions do not conflict.
• Post emergency contacts where they are easy to see: relatives, your parent's doctor, the usual hospital and the current medicine list. In an emergency the caregiver must know at once whom to call and when to call 1669. See the 1669 emergency plan for older adults.
• State the house rules briefly: where valuables are kept, phone use during work, visitors, photos of your parent on social media, which rooms are used. Saying it politely and directly on day one is better than feeling uneasy and keeping quiet.
• Write the agreement down: however you hire, put what you agreed on one page, covering shifts, days off, tasks and contact numbers, and make sure the family and the caregiver see the same thing.
• Review after the first week: sit down for 10–15 minutes to talk about what is going well and what to adjust, so problems are raised before they build up.

8. The 9-point checklist to ask before day one

Copy it to ask our staff, or keep it on your phone.

1. Which shift: 12 hours (08:00–20:00 or 20:00–08:00) or 24 hours with one caregiver. If someone must be awake all night, use two 12-hour caregivers.
2. When does a 24-hour caregiver rest: when your parent rests, for example after 22:00.
3. Meals and bed: the caregiver's meals are included; the family provides a bed.
4. Fees, deposit, days off: daily hire 3-day minimum, THB 2,000 deposit not refundable on cancellation, pay 1 day before start; on monthly with days off, the family covers those days.
5. Tasks needed: tell the team about specially trained tasks such as suctioning, tracheostomy care, insulin and simple wound care when you book; nursing procedures need a registered nurse.
6. Start date: usually 2–3 days, urgent starts at no extra charge, profiles first, gender choice available.
7. Replacement: once at no cost if standards are not met or behaviour is inappropriate; not available for personal preference alone.
8. Area and travel: nationwide; staff tell you the travel cost for your area before confirming.
9. Documents: receipts and tax invoices yes; medical certificates not issued; insurance claims not possible.

Mistakes families often make

• Choosing a 24-hour shift when someone must be awake all night: the caregiver rests when your parent rests, so they are not awake all night. If your parent needs care several times a night, choose two 12-hour caregivers from the start.
• Choosing the monthly plan with days off but having nobody to cover: on the day off nobody is looking after your parent. Line up cover first, or choose the all-days plan if nobody at home can help.
• Not mentioning specially trained tasks when booking: for example suctioning or insulin. You may end up with a caregiver not trained for that task. Say so at the start so the team can assign a trained one.
• Skipping the profile and not describing your parent's personality: if the caregiver works to standard but is not a match, a replacement is not available. A good choice at the start matters more than hoping to fix it later.
• Not preparing a bed for the caregiver: a caregiver who cannot rest cannot care well. The bed is the family's part, so prepare it before day one.
• Assuming the deposit is refunded on cancellation: for daily hire, the THB 2,000 deposit is not refundable because it covers recruitment by our nursing team. Read this term before paying.

When to bring in a professional team

If you have been caring for your parent yourself and are running out of strength, for example several nights of poor sleep in a row, frequent time off work, or care needs beyond what you know, that is the signal to get help. Bringing in a professional does not mean you were not doing well; it lets both your parent and the family keep going for longer. See signs of caregiver burnout and what to do.

• Home caregiver (nursing assistant): THB 1,800 per day for 12 hours, THB 2,500 per day for 24 hours, 3-day minimum for daily hire, or weekly and monthly rates above. If you want a short trial first, start with 3 days of daily hire or a week. See elderly home care.
• Registered nurse, visiting or on shift: for procedures, a nurse costs THB 3,500 per day for 12 hours, procedures start at THB 1,200 per visit, and a nurse home visit is THB 1,800 per visit. See home nursing.

Our team is glad to help you assess these options before you decide, and the consultation is free.

Frequently asked questions

What do I need to agree on when hiring a caregiver for an older parent

At least 9 things: shifts, the caregiver's rest, meals and a bed, fees, deposit and days off, the tasks the caregiver can do, the start date and choosing the person, replacement, area and travel costs, and documents. Each is covered in the checklist above.

Can a 24-hour caregiver sleep

Yes. The caregiver rests when your parent rests, for example after 22:00 at night. If someone must be awake all night, use two 12-hour caregivers instead.

Do I need to provide food for the caregiver

No. The caregiver arranges their own meals, and the cost is already included in the service price. The family only provides a bed.

Do I get the deposit back if I cancel

No, for daily hire the THB 2,000 deposit is not refundable, because it covers recruitment of the caregiver by our nursing team. For weekly and monthly hire, ask our staff about the terms when you book.

Can a caregiver do suctioning or insulin injections

Yes, if the caregiver is trained in that task and works under the supervision of our registered-nurse team. Tell us when you book so we can assign a trained caregiver. Inserting or changing a nasal feeding tube and changing a urinary catheter must be done by a registered nurse.

Can I replace a caregiver I do not like

If the caregiver does not meet standards or behaves inappropriately, you can replace them once at no cost. If they work to standard but are simply not to your liking, a replacement is not available, so review the profile and describe your parent's personality to the team before starting.

How fast can it start if I need help urgently

Usually within 2–3 days, and urgent starts carry no extra charge. Call the team to say when you need to start, and they will tell you whether a caregiver can be arranged in time.

Talk to the KIN HomeCare team

If you are not sure which shift suits your home, or want help working out which level of care your parent needs, tell the team about your mother or father. They will help assess which service fits and send caregiver profiles for you to review before the start.

• Home care, home nursing and equipment rental: call 061-881-9399 (+66 61 881 9399)
• LINE @KINHOMECARE
• Free consultation: our team helps assess which service suits you. We provide care at home nationwide.

This information is general knowledge for families and does not replace the advice of your parent's own doctor.

Written by Orrathai Boontuang, RN (licence 5311192883) · Medically reviewed by Dr. Kamolchat Choktanomsup (licence 40854) · Prices as of September 2026; please confirm with our staff before booking.