Books and Resources to Start Strong
Starting a companion care business requires understanding elderly care dynamics, building trust with families, and managing the operational side of a service business. These books provide practical frameworks for hiring, training, and scaling a care-focused operation.
The Home Care Solution by Kathy Gonzalez
This book addresses the specific challenges of running an in-home care business, from screening caregivers to managing client relationships and compliance issues. For a companion care startup, it’s valuable for understanding how to build systems that keep clients safe and families confident in your service.
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Never Split the Difference by Chris Voss
Negotiation skills matter when pricing your services, handling family conversations about care needs, and managing difficult situations with clients. Voss’s framework for active listening and collaborative negotiation applies directly to relationship-heavy service work where trust determines your reputation.
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The E-Myth Revisited by Michael Gerber
Most companion care businesses fail because owners don’t systematize their work—they become the business. Gerber’s approach to building repeatable processes, documenting procedures, and training staff helps you grow beyond your own hours and create a business that can scale.
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Crucial Conversations by Kerry Patterson
Companion care involves sensitive conversations with families about declining health, care preferences, and difficult behaviors. This book teaches how to have honest, high-stakes conversations without damaging relationships—essential when delivering news families don’t want to hear.
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Equipment You Need
Companion care has lower equipment costs than medical home care, but you’ll still need reliable tools for scheduling, communication, safety, and documentation. Most of these investments are under $500 per item, and many are one-time purchases.
Administrative and Office
- Laptop or desktop computer: For scheduling, invoicing, client records, and staff communication. Windows or Mac, mid-range performance is sufficient.
- Smartphone: Non-negotiable for caregiver check-ins, emergencies, and client contact. A basic smartphone works; upgrade as your budget allows.
- Printer and scanner: For signed care agreements, background check documentation, and client emergency forms.
- Filing cabinet or secure storage: HIPAA compliance requires confidential client records stored safely, not in a pile on your desk.
- Desk and office chair: If you’re working from home, proper ergonomics prevents burnout during long scheduling and documentation sessions.
Communication and Safety
- Two-way radios or walkie-talkies: For caregiver check-ins when phone service is unreliable or for quick coordination during client visits.
- First aid kit: Standard kit for minor injuries. Keep it in your vehicle or main office, not with individual caregivers.
- Emergency contact poster: Laminated card with local poison control, police non-emergency, and your backup contact for caregivers to reference.
- GPS-enabled vehicle tracker (optional): For larger operations, helps verify caregiver location during shifts and improves safety accountability.
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Client Care and Comfort
- Activity supplies: Basic craft materials, games, puzzles, and books for engagement activities. Build a library over time rather than buying everything at once.
- Comfort items for clients: Blankets, soft pillows, and cushions for clients who sit for extended periods. Ask families what their loved one prefers.
- Infection control supplies: Disposable gloves, hand sanitizer, and disinfectant wipes for basic hygiene during care visits.
- Mobility aids (optional): Gait belts, grab bars, or transfer belts if your caregivers assist with walking. Start with what clients already have at home.
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Documentation and Compliance
- Care logs and daily notes templates: Paper or digital system where caregivers record what they did, what the client ate, mood changes, and any incidents.
- Background check service account: You’ll need a background check platform (third-party, not DIY) to screen caregivers legally and professionally.
- Insurance documentation: Homeowner’s or general liability insurance binder and certificate copies for client families and your records.
Vehicle and Transportation
- Reliable vehicle: Essential if you’re doing intake visits, supervisor check-ins, or any in-person caregiver management. Does not need to be new; needs regular maintenance.
- Vehicle emergency kit: Jumper cables, flashlight, spare tire, basic tools, and first aid supplies.
- Mileage log or tracking app: Track business miles for tax deductions and reimbursement tracking.
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What to Buy First vs Later
You don’t need to buy everything before your first client. Prioritize based on what you’ll actually use in the first 90 days.
- First (before taking clients): Smartphone, laptop, printer, filing cabinet, care agreement templates, background check service setup, and basic first aid kit.
- First month (as clients arrive): Activity supplies matched to client interests, infection control supplies, and communication tools for your caregiver team.
- After 3-6 months (when revenue allows): Two-way radios, optional mobility aids, comfort items for common client needs, and any specialized equipment based on your client mix.
- Later (year two and beyond): GPS tracking systems, upgraded scheduling software, additional activity libraries, and caregiver training materials beyond basics.
New vs Used Equipment
Most companion care equipment is inexpensive enough to buy new, but a few items make sense to source used. Office furniture, activity supplies, and comfort items often work fine secondhand. Desks, filing cabinets, bookshelves, and chairs from Facebook Marketplace, Craigslist, or local office liquidation sales can save 40-60% without sacrificing quality.
Don’t cut corners on technology. Buy a new or certified refurbished laptop and smartphone—you need reliability for scheduling, client safety, and communication. A broken device during an emergency isn’t worth the $100 you saved. Similarly, always buy new first aid and infection control supplies. Used safety equipment isn’t a savings, it’s a liability.
For activity supplies and client comfort items, gradually build your collection with new items, but don’t overbuy. Start with a small set of puzzles, games, and books. Add more based on what your clients actually engage with. Overstocking $500 of craft supplies you never use is wasteful.
Where to Buy
- Amazon: Reliable for office supplies, activity items, safety equipment, and communication tools. Fast shipping matters when you need something before a client visit.
- Office Depot or Staples: Better prices on bulk printer paper, filing supplies, and office furniture. Sometimes local pickup saves shipping costs.
- Facebook Marketplace and Craigslist: Used office furniture, filing cabinets, and shelving. Build relationships with local office liquidators who notify you of sales.
- Specialized background check providers: Companies like Checkr, GoodHire, or Sterling Talent Solutions. Don’t use generic background check websites; use services designed for hiring.
- Local medical supply stores: For mobility aids, grab bars, and specialized comfort items. The staff can advise on what’s appropriate for your clients’ needs.
- Activity and craft suppliers: Michael’s, Blick, or local art supply stores for quality activity materials that last longer than dollar-store alternatives.
- Insurance brokers: For liability insurance, work with a broker who understands home care rather than generic business insurance.