A family member is calling: where is the caregiver? What do I tell them?
Check first, then call back fast. Look at whether the caregiver has checked in, call the caregiver, and then tell the family the real time and the plan. If the caregiver cannot make it, say who is coming instead and when. Do not guess or make promises you cannot keep.
A worried family usually wants three things: the truth, a time, and a plan. Here is a simple way to answer.
- Check the visit. In Georgia Medicaid personal care, the caregiver enters time and attendance at the point of care through the state EVV system. See if there is a check-in.
- Reach the caregiver. Ask where they are and when they can arrive.
- Call the family back within minutes. Say what you know: "She is ten minutes away" or "She called out, and Maria is covering. She will be there by 9."
- If nobody can come, say so early and tell the family what you are doing. AARP’s guidance to families is to expect that no-shows happen and to ask any agency about its backup plan, so have one ready to name.
- Write down what happened and what you told them.
If the client cannot be safe alone, treat it as urgent. Use your agency’s emergency policy. Do not wait for the next shift.
No rule I found sets a number of minutes before you must call a family, so set one in your own policy, and train staff on it.
How CareBravo® helps
Caregivers check in at the door, so you can see who has arrived without chasing anyone.
Sources
- Georgia Electronic Visit Verification (EVV) · Georgia Department of Community Health, Medicaid
- What to do when a caregiver doesn’t show up · AARP
- Top 10 Complaints About Home Care Agencies from Clients · Activated Insights (HomeCare Pulse), vendor survey article
Reviewed by Beth Bledsoe, Care Business Advisor®, 28 Oct 2026. Rules change. Confirm with your state Medicaid agency before you act.
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