Is Carelo a good alternative to CareZone?

Yes. After Walmart acquired CareZone in 2020 and the app was retired, many families lost the shared place where they tracked medications and coordinated care. Carelo picks up where CareZone left off — medication tracking, a shared family calendar, and care notes — in one private space built for the whole care circle. Carelo is independent and not affiliated with CareZone or Walmart.

How much does Carelo cost?

Carelo starts with a free 7-day trial, then continues as a paid subscription — a shared calendar, medication tracking, and care notes for your whole care circle. There are no ads, and we never sell your data.

Carelo helps families coordinate care for an aging parent together: build a care circle, share a calendar of appointments and visits, track medications, and post quick daily check-ins so everyone stays in the loop.

Is it better to hire a caregiver through an agency or privately?

For most families starting out, an agency is the lower-stress choice because it screens, employs, insures, and covers the caregiver, and sends a replacement if someone is sick. You pay more per hour but skip payroll, taxes, and liability. Hiring privately is cheaper and gives more control, but you become the employer responsible for taxes, insurance, and backup.

What should I ask when interviewing an in-home caregiver?

Ask about experience with your parent's specific needs, such as dementia or mobility, and how they would handle an emergency, a fall, or a refusal of care. Always call references and run a background check, and clarify what happens when they are sick or on vacation. Personality fit matters too, since your parent must want this person in their home.

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Hiring an in-home caregiver: agency vs private, what to vet, and how to coordinate

By The Carelo TeamJune 3, 20268 min read

Hiring an In-Home Caregiver: What to Look For

Bringing a caregiver into your parent's home is a big step — practically and emotionally. Done well, it's the thing that lets a parent stay home safely and gives the family room to breathe. Here's how to choose between an agency and hiring privately, what to vet, what it costs, and how to keep everyone coordinated once care begins.

Agency vs hiring privately

Through an agency:the agency screens, employs, insures, and covers the caregiver — and sends a replacement if someone's sick. You pay more per hour (around $30–$40 in 2026), but you skip the payroll, taxes, and liability. Hiring privately:you find someone directly. It's cheaper hourly and you choose the exact person, but you become the employer — responsible for taxes, insurance, backup coverage, and the legal pieces. For most families starting out, an agency is the lower-stress choice; private hire suits those who want maximum control and have someone to manage it.

What to look for and ask

Whether agency or private, vet the actual person who'll be in the home:

Experience with your parent's specific needs (dementia, mobility, a recent diagnosis)
References you actually call — and a background check
How they handle an emergency, a fall, or a refusal of care
Reliability and backup: what happens when they're sick or on vacation?
Personality fit — your parent has to want this person in their home

If you hire privately, confirm insurance and tax obligations (a payroll service for household employers makes this manageable), and put expectations in writing.

Start with a trial and a clear plan

Begin with a short trial period and a written care plan: exactly what the caregiver handles (meals, bathing, medications, transport), the daily routine, house rules, and who to call. Be present for the first few shifts so you can introduce routines and watch how they interact. A good match shows itself quickly — so does a poor one.

The part most families miss: coordinating once care starts

Hiring is the beginning, not the end. Now a paid caregiver, family members, and doctors are all involved — and the details that slip between them are where problems start. The families this works best for treat the caregiver as part of the circle: a shared schedule so everyone knows who's covering when, a shared medication log the aide updates, and short daily notes the family can read without a dozen phone calls. That shared, always-current record is exactly what Carelois built to hold — so the help you brought in genuinely lightens the load. It builds naturally on having your parent's information organized in one place.

Not sure home care is the right call versus a move? Our guide on home care vs assisted living weighs the trade-offs.

Frequently asked questions

Is it better to hire a caregiver through an agency or privately?: For most families starting out, an agency is the lower-stress choice because it screens, employs, insures, and covers the caregiver, and sends a replacement if someone is sick. You pay more per hour but skip payroll, taxes, and liability. Hiring privately is cheaper and gives more control, but you become the employer responsible for taxes, insurance, and backup.
What should I ask when interviewing an in-home caregiver?: Ask about experience with your parent's specific needs, such as dementia or mobility, and how they would handle an emergency, a fall, or a refusal of care. Always call references and run a background check, and clarify what happens when they are sick or on vacation. Personality fit matters too, since your parent must want this person in their home.
How long should a trial period be for a new caregiver?: Start with a short trial period paired with a written care plan covering exactly what the caregiver handles, the daily routine, house rules, and who to call. Be present for the first few shifts so you can introduce routines and watch how they interact with your parent. A good match tends to show itself quickly, and so does a poor one.

Carelo's guides are general information, not medical, legal, or financial advice — always consult a qualified professional about your situation.

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