November 4, 2026

Great Home Care Is Great Matchmaking

Two families call the same week. One parent is bedbound after a decline in health. The other is mostly independent and lonely. Both need a caregiver. They do not need the same caregiver.

"This business is all about matchmaking"

That is how Niran Gunaratnam, co-owner of Mint Home Care in Fairfax, Virginia, describes home care. The right match can make an agency's reputation. The wrong one can break it.

Some matches come down to physical ability. A client who is bedbound needs a caregiver who can safely reposition them and handle all of their care in bed, which is the work of personal care. Other clients are mostly independent and need company, some light housework and rides to appointments, which is closer to companion care.

What to tell an agency about your parent

The better an agency understands your parent, the better the match. Before the first visit, share:

What help they need with bathing, dressing, moving around and toileting, if any
Their routines: when they wake, eat, nap and go to bed
What they enjoy: cooking, walks, cards, faith, music, their garden
Their personality: chatty or quiet, social or private
Anything that worries you, such as falls, wandering or skipped meals

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When the match is right

Families can tell. Valerie VanBooven, RN BSN, describes the kind of note every agency hopes to get: "We really love Mary. Mom loves it. She visits on Tuesdays." That is what a good match sounds like.

And if the match is not right, say so early. A good agency would rather try a different caregiver than keep a pairing that is not working.

Watch the full conversation

This clip comes from Valerie VanBooven's Care Across America interview with Niran Gunaratnam, co-owner of Mint Home Care in Fairfax, Virginia. Watch the full interview on YouTube or read the episode notes.

About Mint Home Care

Mint Home Care is an independent, licensed home care agency (License HCO-0002198) in Fairfax serving Fairfax, Loudoun and Prince William counties, Alexandria, Arlington and the rest of Northern Virginia. It offers companion and personal care with no weekly minimums, from a few hours a week to 24/7. Call (703) 828-0011 or visit Mint Home Care's profile.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do home care agencies match caregivers to clients?

Good agencies match on both the physical care a client needs, such as repositioning someone who is bedbound, and on personality, interests and routines.

What if the caregiver is not a good fit?

Tell the agency early. A good agency would rather try a different caregiver than keep a match that is not working.

Written By

Valerie VanBooven RN BSN

Valerie VanBooven RN BSN is a registered nurse, wife, mom, and published author of several books on long-term care and elder care. She is the Founder and Co-Owner of Approved Senior Network® and the founder of Care Across America®.