“Sometimes it’s easy. Sometimes it’s hard.”

Adding a new caregiver to your support team can be a challenging transition, whether they’re coming into your home, assisting your loved one who lives alone, or joining the care team in a memory care community. This transition can be particularly difficult for those caring for loved ones with Alzheimer’s or other types of dementia, as changes in routine can cause confusion and resistance.

If your loved one doesn’t think they need help or they don’t want help (and yes, many don’t), don’t give up! Be patient. Nancy Treaster shares: “My husband told the new caregiver for at least the first couple of weeks, every time she came, ‘You need to go home.’ She would just smile at him and say kindly, ‘Well, I’m not going home just yet.’”

We are Sue Ryan and Nancy Treaster. We’ve developed six essential tips for successfully introducing and integrating new caregivers into your care support team.

Tip 1: Create a Welcoming Environment

Outside caregivers provide valuable support and insights whether they come into your home, your care receiver’s home, or assist in a care community. Making them feel welcome is important — you want them to want to care for your loved one.

When caregivers first come into your home or your care receiver’s home:

• Provide a brief tour, highlighting where to find different rooms and caregiving supplies
• Ensure they have access to basics like drinking water, bathroom, and a comfortable break area
• Show them how to operate necessary household items (TV, kitchen appliances, monitoring devices)
• Give them access to Wi-Fifor them to stay connected
• Designate a specific spot for their personal belongings
• Prepare a small welcome basket to show your appreciation.

When caregivers come into a care community:

• Introduce them to the leadership team and the professional caregiving team members
• Encourage open dialogue between all care team members
• Teach them about the community’s organization and layout
• Show them places where they can take your loved one for activities
• Ask them what will help them feel comfortable in the new environment and work together to achieve it.

Tip 2: Thoughtfully Introduce the New Caregiver to Your Care Receiver

First impressions matter, especially for someone with Alzheimer’s or another type of dementia who may be resistant to new people.

• Schedule the first visit during your loved one’s best time of day
• Begin with a shared, pleasant activity your care receiver enjoys
• If your loved one is resistant to outside help, frame the introduction carefully — present the caregiver as someone who’s there to help you rather than them
• Start with simple tasks like changing a bed or preparing a meal
• Invite the caregiver along on errands or appointments you take your care receiver on as a gentle way of integrating them.

Don’t be surprised if the first visit needs to be shorter than scheduled. It’s completely normal to send the caregiver home early if things become awkward or uncomfortable. It’s important to still pay the caregiver for the full scheduled time.

If your care receiver lives alone, and you can’t be present for the introduction, try to arrange for a friend or family member to be there. If that’s not possible, consider introducing the caregiver as someone who will be helping with friendly activities — taking your care receiver to lunch, running errands, or other social interactions.

Tip 3: Educate the New Caregiver About Your Loved One

Sharing important information about your care receiver helps the caregiver provide better, more personalized care.

• Introduce them to your care plan, whether it’s a notebook, digital file, or app
• Go through relevant parts of the care plan, without overwhelming them with too much information at once, and let them know they are welcome to add to it
• Include specific preferences, triggers, and important details about your care receiver. Sue Ryan shares an example to help the caregivers, the leadership team, and the musicians know a song not to play around her husband (who was 100% Irish): “Please do not play Danny Boy around my husband. While we don’t know why, for some reason it now instantly triggers him to sobbing.”
• Share photos and stories about your care receiver’s background, putting notes on the back of the photos to help prompt the caregiver
• Ask your caregiver what additional information will be helpful for them
• If appropriate, create opportunities for your care receiver to share their own story with the caregiver.

When you invite a caregiver into your care team, you’re inviting them to form a bond with your care receiver. Many professional caregivers become deeply attached to those they care for — they may share your grief during difficult times and your joy during good ones.

Tip 4: Build Trust Gradually

Professional caregivers bring valuable expertise. Trust — theirs, yours, and your care receiver’s — develops over time.

• Ask the professional caregiver to initially follow your established routines, as these are familiar to your care receiver
• Start with less intimate tasks; progress to personal care activities like bathing or dressing when the care receiver’s trust begins to build
• Once your trust begins to build, try stepping out for short periods to allow them time alone together
• Once trust begins to build, encourage the caregiver to share their techniques and be open to learning — experienced caregivers often have better approaches they can share.

Trust and the transition period vary greatly from person to person. Some care receivers adapt quickly, while others may show significant resistance. Following these steps can help minimize difficulties during the adjustment period for everyone.

Tip 5: Be Clear About Communications and Expectations

Open communication helps prevent misunderstandings and builds a stronger care partnership.

• Encourage caregivers to clearly communicate any issues they have, any preferences they have, any tips they have
• Welcome and model open communication. This minimizes misunderstandings or feeling something can’t be discussed
• Ask the caregiver to share what is most helpful for them to know about your loved one, you, and your home in support of them providing the best care
• Invite them to discuss challenges they’ve faced in the past and how they addressed them
• Set expectations about care updates — for example — how often, what level of detail, and in what situations you’d like updates, and encourage open communication as you both learn what works best
• Clarify household norms (like removing outdoor shoes inside the house, no smoking)
• Identify any areas of your home that are off-limits
• Be transparent about monitoring devices or cameras and show them how to use these resources
• Discuss meal arrangements clearly — whether they should bring their own food or can share meals with your care receiver.

Tip 6: Treat Them With Respect

Professional caregivers deserve to be treated with dignity and appreciation.

• Avoid treating them as if they’re invisible when others are present (shocking to have to say, but sadly not an uncommon experience)
• Show interest in them as people while being mindful not to pry
• Acknowledge their accomplishments and express gratitude when they do something well
• Have constructive conversations when needed, always approaching them with respect, and being intentional about learning together how to resolve differences
• Be mindful of your conversations when they’re present — avoid divisive topics that might make them uncomfortable
• Don’t put them in uncomfortable positions where they feel unable to speak up. Several examples include: smoking, talking politics, or talking religion.

Give the Relationship Time to Develop

The first few visits might not go as smoothly as you hope, but that doesn’t mean the relationship won’t work out. Many caregivers have stories about initial resistance that eventually transformed into wonderful care partnerships.

As one experienced family caregiver shared:

My mother told me more than once when a new caregiver would come, ‘I don’t think it’s going to work out.’ She said that about all of them on the first couple of visits. One of the ones she was most resistant to turned out to be her favorite caregiver.

Nancy Treaster shares:

When my husband’s main caregiver first came, I thought, ‘This isn’t really what I need. She’s not the right fit.’ She needed to get to know us, and I needed to get to know her better. She turned out to be, by far, the best caregiver we ever had.

Practice patience through the integration process. Sometimes it takes time for relationships to develop, especially when caring for someone with Alzheimer’s or dementia who may struggle with change. By following these tips, you’ll gain clarity about whether a particular caregiver is truly the right fit for your loved one.

The goal is to find someone who provides excellent care and who genuinely wants to be part of your care team — someone who approaches each visit with compassion and dedication to your loved one’s wellbeing.

We’re all on this journey together.