Safety
Know who's coming, and what they've been checked for.
Every Nearkin caregiver completes the same steps before they can take a booking. We record each check, and our system won't activate a caregiver until every one is done.
Before anyone visits your parent
Vulnerable sector police check
From the last 12 months, before the first visit. It's the check required for working with older adults.Interview
A video conversation with our care team about experience, reliability and how they treat people.References
We contact references and record the result.Nearkin training and quiz
Short lessons for their level, each ending in a quiz with an 80% pass mark.PSW certificate, for Personal Care
Personal Care is only given by PSWs whose certificate, or equivalent, we've checked.Liability insurance
Every caregiver holds their own liability insurance before their first visit.
What every caregiver is trained in
- Talking with older adults, and treating them as the expert on their own life
- Dementia: what changes and how to respond calmly
- Safety at home, falls and what to do in an emergency
- Recognising and reporting abuse or neglect
- Privacy and respecting your parent's information
- Writing a clear visit note for the family
- Home safety and food safety (Home Help and Personal Care)
- The standards for personal care (PSWs)
Clear boundaries, for everyone's safety
No Nearkin caregiver, at any level, does these:
- Nursing care, such as injections or wound care
- Giving, sorting or managing medication (reminders are fine)
- Handling your parent's money, cards or banking
- Signing documents or making decisions for your parent
If something doesn't feel right
If anyone is in immediate danger, call 911. For anything else, send us a message and choose the topic that fits; we read every message. Ontario's Seniors Safety Line (1-866-299-1011) also gives confidential advice, 24 hours a day.
What we don't claim
We don't show an "identity verified" badge, because we don't run an ID check yet. We'll add one when we do, and say exactly what it covers.
Tell us what your parent needs.
We'll match a caregiver who lives nearby. No subscription, no contract.