November 4, 2026

Why the Way an Agency Treats Its Caregivers Matters to Your Family

Families choosing home care usually focus on the client: their needs, their schedule, their budget. It is worth asking a second question too. How does the agency treat the people it sends into your parent's home?

Familiar faces depend on it

Every time a caregiver leaves, your parent has to start over with someone new: a new person learning their routines, their preferences and their home. For someone living with memory loss, that change can be especially hard.

Caregivers stay where they feel valued. At Mint Home Care, that starts with pay above the market rate. The agency also adds gas money when prices spike, gives a holiday bonus, and sends a small gift on each caregiver's birthday. Co-owner Niran Gunaratnam is direct about why: this is hard work, and it is not for everybody.

Planning around real lives

Many of Mint's caregivers are immigrants. Some came to this country without their spouses and are raising children on their own, so childcare can fall apart on any given morning. Mint plans around that instead of pretending it does not happen. Flexibility for caregivers is part of what keeps them, and keeping them is what keeps care steady for families.

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What to ask an agency

How long do caregivers usually stay with you?
How do you support caregivers so they stay?
If my parent's regular caregiver is out, who covers, and will we meet them first?

The answers tell you a lot about whether your parent will have the same trusted person a year from now. There is no home care without caregivers, and the agencies that understand that tend to deliver the most consistent care.

If you are comparing agencies, our guide on how to choose a home care agency walks through more questions to ask.

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

Why does caregiver turnover matter to families?

When a caregiver leaves, the client has to get to know someone new. Lower turnover means a parent keeps a familiar caregiver who already knows their routines and preferences.

How does Mint Home Care support its caregivers?

Mint Home Care pays above market rate, adds gas money when prices spike, gives a holiday bonus and sends a small gift on each caregiver's birthday, and plans around caregivers' childcare needs.

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®.