How we review, evaluate, and select the independent caregivers we introduce to families — and why temperament matters as much as credentials.
The caregiver entering your home is the most important decision in this entire process. We treat it that way.
Most agencies screen for availability. We screen for character. Because we believe the single greatest determinant of care quality is the temperament of the person providing it — not just their certification.
What follows is an honest account of what we look for, what we verify, and what our process involves. We share this because families deserve to know — and because transparency is part of what makes Avelis different.
We introduce a small number of carefully reviewed caregivers to families — not a catalogue of hundreds. That means we can actually know the people in our network. We can speak to their character from direct experience, not just from a file.
We would rather introduce fewer caregivers and know them well than build volume at the expense of confidence.
Every caregiver in the Avelis network has moved through this process before being introduced to any family. No exceptions.
Every applicant completes a detailed written application including five open-ended questions about their caregiving philosophy, how they navigate difficult moments, and why they do this work. We read every response personally. The answers reveal far more than a resume.
We verify the identity of every applicant before proceeding. Government-issued identification is confirmed as part of the standard review process.
A background check is required of every caregiver introduced through Avelis. This includes criminal history review. Caregivers with disqualifying histories are not introduced to families.
Prior caregiving references are contacted and verified. We ask specifically about reliability, how the caregiver handled difficult moments, how they communicated with families, and whether the reference would work with them again.
Because our network is focused exclusively on dementia care, we specifically review each applicant's experience with cognitive change — including familiarity with sundowning, wandering, behavioral shifts, and person-centered communication approaches.
This is the most important step and the hardest to quantify. Through direct conversation and a structured evaluation, we assess composure, patience, warmth, and emotional maturity. Caregivers who meet our credential standards but fall short on character are not introduced.
A certified caregiver who is impatient, distracted, or emotionally reactive is not the right person for dementia care — regardless of their credentials. We have seen this enough to make temperament our primary filter.
Here is what we are specifically assessing in every caregiver we review:
Before any caregiver is introduced to a family through Avelis, the following have been completed. This is not aspirational — it is the standard.
"No screening process — however thorough — can guarantee outcomes. What we offer is careful, structured review by people who take this responsibility seriously."
Caregivers introduced through Avelis are independent contractors, not employees. Families retain the right to accept or decline any introduction at any time, and to end a relationship if circumstances change. We are here to support families through that process — before, during, and after every introduction we make.
A private consultation is where everything begins. No paperwork, no obligation — just a conversation about your situation and whether Avelis might be the right fit.
Your information is held in strict confidence. We respond within one business day.